Food Partners

Food Partners

Become a Food Partner with Houston Food Bank

Our impact on our 18-county service area is only possible through our partnerships. With partners directly supporting their communities, we’re able to uplift more neighbors to achieve stability together. Review the guidelines below and inquire through our form to start the conversation. Organizations located within Chambers or Walker County are encouraged to apply. For one-time event requests, we are unable to accommodate these at this time. We kindly refer you to collaborate with an existing partner in your area using our Find Food Map.

Houston Food Bank collaborates with Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF) 2025

In the meantime, we encourage agencies to collaborate with existing partners in your area. You can locate them by visiting our Find Help page.

If you’d like to explore ongoing partnership opportunities in the future, please review qualifications below and complete the interest form. Your submission will remain on file for future review should capacity change.

Partner Site Types

Pantry Sites

  • Brick-and-mortar “traditional” distribution sites where those in need can receive food with a focus on fresh, nutritious food, particularly fruits and vegetables. Food may be free-choice similar to a grocery store setup or pre-packaged.
  • These sites are expected to be able to stock and distribute dry, refrigerated, and frozen goods.
  • Pantry sites set their own, consistent/set, distribution schedules. They are required to have at least 4 per month with at least 1 of them during “extended” hours (on a weekend or after 5pm on a weekday).

Mobile Truck Sites

  • Sites that host (both physically and via distribution personnel) a refrigerated truck at which those in need can receive food.
  • Mobile sites are part of our Fresh Forward initiative, focusing on fresh produce – providing fruits and vegetables to support healthy eating. Other items may periodically be available in smaller amounts.
  • Mobile sites are required to distribute 4 times per month and can choose their own times and days of the week within the available mobile truck time slots. Mobile sites are on a set schedule month-to-month.
  • This site type may periodically be closed to new partners, based on operations availability.

Meal Sites

  • Sometimes called “soup kitchens”, meal sites offer prepared meals for those in need, which are prepared and served on-site.
  • These sites are expected to have areas that include dry, refrigerated, frozen storage. They also require additional permitting due to more extensive food-handling.
  • Meal sites set their own, consistent/set, distribution schedules. They are required to have at least 4 per month with at least 1 of them during “extended” hours (on a weekend or after 5pm on a weekday).

Qualifications

Must be in place at the time of application:

  • Hold 501(c)(3) status (or meet other tax-exempt status such as the IRS faith-based criteria)
  • Not located within an area already saturated with HFB partners (Check our Food Finder Map here to determine which partners are already in your area)
  • Space for HFB truck access (free of obstructions, ex: fences, poles, parked cars within 10 ft. of entry)
  • Individual identified to be a primary contact between your organization and HFB.

Must be willing to:

  • Provide food distributions at least 4 times per month that are open to the public (e.: cannot be closed to a specific population or population type)
  • Use our web-based intake system at every distribution (provided for free to partners)
  • Follow local, state, and federal food-safety and pest-control regulations (if already operating a pantry site, these must be in place already at time of application)

Must be completed before partnered pantry operations begin:

  • Complete Civil Rights Training
  • Complete Food Safety Training (Learn about training options)
  • Maintain a food establishment permit (for brick & mortar pantries)
  • Have paved surfaces which will be accessed by HFB delivery trucks
  • Should drive-up pick-up be utilized at the site, wifi that reaches all outdoor intake locations

Preferred:

  • Have an existing food-program operating for at least 6 months (if in place, any needed permits should already be in place and active)
  • Not be in strip malls, unpaved lots, or apartment complexes (case-by-case)

Process

  1. Review qualifications
  2. Check our Food Finder Map to ensure your proposed pantry location is not in an area which is already saturated with Houston Food Bank partners.
  3. Should your site be in an area where there are no or few existing partners and other qualifications are met, register for an upcoming Prospective Partner Interest Meeting. Upcoming dates are typically quarterly and will be listed below as they are scheduled. This is mandatory for all prospective partners – new or returning.
  4. Fill out a partnership application. The link will be sent to those that are in attendance for the Prospective Partner Interest Meeting.
  5. Applications are reviewed and, based on our partner network capacity and a qualification review, partners will receive communication on their application status. Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis, taking place each month that follows a Prospective Partner Interest Meeting.

Upcoming Prospective Partner Interest Meetings:

(these meetings always take place at HFB’s main location – 535 Portwall St.)

May 29th at 10am-11:30am

August 14th at 1pm-2:30pm

November 13th at 1pm-2:30pm

February 19th at 10am-11:30am

We appreciate your patience and look forward to the possibility of working together to provide
Food for Better Lives in the future.

For questions regarding collaborating with Houston Food Bank as a hunger relief network partner, please contact:

Membership