Food Bank Shopping FAQs

It is hard to ask for help.

It is extremely important to us to provide a dignified experience for every single person who needs to use our services, as well as for our volunteers and team members. We want our facilities to be a place you feel welcome.

You are welcome and will receive food when you come.

We try to make a trip to our No-Cost Markets as similar as possible to going to a grocery store. 

After checking in, you choose the food you want. We don’t want anyone to worry about where their next meal is going to come from, and it’s our privilege to be able to help however we can.

You will always be welcome for as long as you need to come to the Food Bank.

When you visit for the first time, you may be asked for a photo ID, asked about your income and where you live. These items are not required to obtain food, except in the case of those seeking enrollment and participation in the United State Dept. of Agriculture’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). To obtain CSFP commodities, a photo ID is required. 

Returning shoppers do not need to do paperwork, only check-in at the registers at the entrance. However, from time to time, based on which programs you participate in, you will need to periodically recertify and confirm your information with the check-in staff.

Learn more about the process of visiting here. 

Clients can visit Food Bank Food Share No-Cost Markets (this includes both Food Share locations and any Mobile Market) up to two times per week. These visits are tracked and inforced by the staff and volunteers at each location.

We offer a wide variety of fresh, shelf-stable and frozen or refrigerated food items, including an ample supply of fresh produce. What you find at our No-Cost Markets may vary from day to day, and we can never guarantee that we’ll have a specific item. What we can guarantee is that you will have access to a good supply of nutritious food.

YES.

If you need food, come to the Food Bank, and we will get you some food.

Depending on your income, you may not qualify to receive certain government commodities, but you can still access a wide variety of donated food. Again, if you are in need of food, come visit us. We can help.

Many people pick up food for their entire family, and some of our clients help relatives or neighbors by picking up their food for them.

No.

While it may be frustrating, we do not allow clients to use place markers to reserve a place in line. Only a person can reserve a spot in line. If the weather isn’t great (too cold, too hot) and you have a vehicle you can sit in, feel free to wait in your car until you are ready to get in line. We have systems in place to ensure food is distribute throughout the day so all shoppers are served.

Pets cannot come inside our shopping locations.

Only service animals are allowed at the Fresh Food Share No-Cost Markets. Federal law defines services animals as dogs that are trained to perform a specific task related to a person’s disability. Emotional support or comfort animals are NOT considered service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Yes.

Many of our clients receive SNAP benefits in addition to visiting our No-Cost Markets. In fact, we have a full-time crew of highly-skilled Food Bank staff dedicated to helping people get signed up for SNAP benefits. Our vision is a hunger-free Larimer County, and we want you to take advantage of every available resource to get the food you need for your household.

Yes, for some items.

A proxy form is used to assign an indivdual to pick up a CSFP box (aka Senior Box) in lieu of the senior client. It can also be used for monthly TEFAP commodities pickups. More details and a copy of the form is here. 

We do our best to make shopping at a Food Bank No-Cost Market as similar as possible to shopping at a grocery store. That means, clients – for the most part – get to choose what they want – and how much they want – to take with them. 

Most of the food choices at the No-Cost Markets are for anyone to take. But, some are only for those enrolled in specific programs, such as CSFP and TEFAP commodities. These restricted items are few, and are clearly labeled.