Salvage

Anyone visiting the Foodbank’s facility in Urbana is offered a tour of the operation. Once past the administrative offices in the front part of the building, the door opens onto the cement-floored, tabled area of the warehouse we call salvage. Like most areas of the facility, this area is often brimming with "banana boxes" of various and assorted food products. Nearly 30% of all the food products distributed to our agencies comes from salvage. This supply consists of non-perishable food that is either damaged, close to code or overstocked.

When pulled from supermarket shelves, this food begins an odyssey. It is taken to reclamation centers where it is scanned for inventory control purposes, then reloaded and trucked to food banks and discount food (or secondary market) stores.

Upon arrival at the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, all boxes are marked with the arrival date, and the salvage process begins. Item by item, goods are taken from the boxes and inspected for extent of damage. Some dents are acceptable; others-particularly those along a seam or pinching the metal in such a manner as to possibly conceal a microscopic opening (that would permit contamination) are not acceptable. Torn boxes are opened, and the inner packaging inspected for tears. If there are no tears, the boxes are resealed with tape. Because food items are shipped to the Foodbank with non-food items, a risk for cross contamination exists. Much of the product that arrives simply needs to be cleaned of surface dirt and dust. One leaking container will soil the rest, so all will be washed before being placed for distribution.

The Foodbank receives an average of 70,000 pounds of salvage food products each month. The loads arrive packed in boxes and stacked on pallets. Several of the pallets will have non-food items like toothpaste, soap, and paper products. Every penny saved on non-food items means more money for a family’s food budget.

Typically, seventy percent of each load is "recoverable," meaning it will pass the scrutiny of trained volunteers and is considered safe for human consumption. In 2003, over 800,000 pounds of food was sorted and distributed.