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Restrictions to Food Donations

Posted on: June 21, 2021 - 2:54pm
food clip art

The RI Food Bank, which provides oversight for the town food pantry, is working with State agencies to clarify ‘acceptable’ donations.  In the meantime, the RI Department of Health (DoH) and DEM have issued guidelines regarding perishable donations for food pantries operating under the RI Food Bank.   Currently, there are several restrictions on accepting local food donations.  Donations that can no longer be accepted at the Foster Department of Social Services are:      

  • Produce from residential gardens
  • Farm fresh eggs from backyard chickens
  • Home produced foods such as canned goods (jams/jellies/pickles/etc.) or baked goods
  • Recreationally caught fish and game (venison)

DoH ‘acceptable’ donations include:

  • Produce that is whole, unprocessed and good quality from a community garden
  • Produce from a farm that is authorized to sell (Peddlers/Farm Stand license)
  • Eggs from a licensed source that follows labeling laws
  • Commercially caught fish
  • Honey labeled with harvesting location and warning label for children under 12 months

Your generosity in the past has greatly enhanced the nutritional needs of the people in our community.  Thank you for sharing and caring. 

Please call Carol Mauro at 392-9208 if you have questions.  Updates regarding any changes to these guidelines will be posted as they become available.