FAQs
- My spouse lost her job and we need help this month – and
it is October. Can I start coming even though the year is almost over?
- What if I lose my punch card?
- Can my son come and get the food for me?
- If I don’t come in January, can I still be certified at a later time?
- Can I get special food, like sugar free, salt free, fat free?
- Can my children be with me when I shop?
- Can I as a volunteer do something special for the clients?
- I want to volunteer, but I work part time and my volunteer days/hours would not be consistent. Is that OK?
- What are the favorite items clients want/need?
- Do you accept Pet food?
- Do you accept alcohol, medicines, or vitamins?
- Are you connected to the Clothes Closet?
- I cleaned out my mother’s pantry and the expiration date on some food items is next week. Is that OK?
- I need service hours – can I volunteer?
- Are you open on the Holidays?
- I do not have transportation to the pantry. Can I still get food?
- Why can’t I come more than once a month – my food doesn’t last all month?
My spouse lost her job and we need help this month – and it is October. Can I start coming even though the year is almost over?
Yes, you just need to be certified whenever you are a first time client
and at the beginning of every year. To be certified means you must bring
in the following: Photo id (license or state id) and a recent (within 1 month)
utility bill (or rent receipt) with your name and the address indicating
you live in Batavia or Batavia Township.
What if I lose my punch card?
You cannot be served without a punch card. If you’ve already been served this calendar year, you will need to pay $1 and be recertified before you receive any food. To be certified means you must bring in the following: Photo id (license or state id) and a recent (within 1 month) utility bill (or rent receipt) with your name and the address indicating you live in Batavia or Batavia Township.
Can my son come and get the food for me?
This is handled on a case by case basis. If you require this service,
when you are certified, you will need to add him to your sheet and add
his name on the punch card.
If I don’t come in January, can I still be certified at a later time?
Yes. Certification does not occur only in January. It is a process that
occurs on your first visit to the pantry every calendar year.
Can I get special food, like sugar free, salt free, fat free?
We try to sort and store separately the special foods – like fat free, sugar free, salt free. If you do not see it on the shelf, please ask. We don’t receive a lot of donations that fall into these categories.
Can my children be with me when I shop?
Yes. If you bring your children with you, they must stay with you while you shop. They cannot go into the shopping cart.
Can I as a volunteer do something special for the clients?
We have very creative donations from volunteers. Perhaps you’d like to
do a food drive in your neighborhood. Or for a birthday party or Christmas
party – ask for can goods instead of presents. We’ve also had creative ideas
like making up Easter Baskets, back-to-school bags, and Birthday boxes.
Or you can donate items with a theme: like personal items (toothbrushes
and paste), all sugar-free or fat free items, or just cereals, or snack
bags, etc. The clients appreciate your kindness.
I want to volunteer, but I work part time and my volunteer days/hours would not be consistent. Is that OK?
Yes. Please do stop by when you are available to work. We might be slow a couple of days or maybe we are over staffed. For those special cases, we might tell you we cannot use your help today – come back next time. But, please know you are always welcome to stop by to see if we need that help!
What are the favorite items clients want/need?
There are certain items we cannot get through our cooperative buying. So, we must purchase them when they are on sale or at Aldi. We always need Oil, Flour, Sugar, Spaghetti sauce (jar), baby food, Decaf coffee, toilet paper, paper towels, and personal products.
Do you accept Pet food?
Yes, we accept dog and cat food. We do not purchase these items, but when they are donated, our clients are very thankful!
Do you accept alcohol, medicines, or vitamins?
No, we do not accept alcohol, medicines, or vitamins.
Are you connected to the Clothes Closet?
The Clothes Closet is on the north end of the building. Although we are physically connected, they have their own hours and rules. They can be reached at 630-406-0036.
I cleaned out my mother’s pantry and the
expiration date on some food items is next week.
Is that OK?
We cannot distribute any opened items or many expired items. If the date is close, we can make sure the items are put out front for our clients to take first. We follow a timeframe for expiration dates; different types of foods can be used up to 1 year past the “best by” date. We will accept food that is 5 months past the “best by” date. Please check the expiration dates prior to your donation.
I need service hours – can I volunteer?
The Food Pantry works with youth to help them with Service Hours. Our
hope is that they come to help serve others the first time because it is
required, and the rest of the time because they see the need. Our Food
Pantry is open more when the youth are in school. Monday evenings is the
only non-school time that the youth could work, except during our annual
food drives. If you need service hours, we’d love to work with you to be
creative on what type of work you could do. Perhaps you could clean the
pantry off hours, help landscape, do unique food drives (special food like
sugar/fat free items, personal items). These kinds of service projects
are great and we’d love to help the youth. Please contact us for further
information. Please check the calendar for dates of our food drives.
Are you open on the Holidays?
We are closed on certain holidays. Please refer to the
HOME page for days we will be closed this year.
I do not have transportation to the pantry. Can
I still get food?
Yes, we have home delivery once a month on a very limited basis. Please call the pantry for further assistance and a food menu.
Why can’t I come more than once a month
– my food doesn’t
last all month?
The Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry is meant to be a hand-up during difficult times. We are here to supplement your food for the month. We try to provide clients with enough food for 2 weeks per month. We have many families in Batavia and Batavia Township that we are trying to serve and depend on donations.