2024 Giving Plate Program Changes
The Giving Plate is undergoing exciting new changes!
The video below goes over the changes to our grocery program.
Guest FAQs
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The way our guests access groceries from our food pantry will be changing drastically, come April 2024, when we move to our brand new Community Store. Instead of functioning as a drive-through as we do currently, guests will come inside our new store and do their own grocery shopping. This means that guests will have complete control over what foods they choose to bring home. Allowances for the number of food items per category will depend on family size.
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Our first open day in our Community Store is set to be Wednesday, April 3rd (which happens to be our 14th Birthday). Doors will open at 2:00 pm and close at 6:00 pm. We are excited to welcome you into our new store as we celebrate 14 years of serving our community! -
We will be ADDING Wednesdays to our open days! Please see our new schedule below:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 2 pm - 6 pm
Thursday: 10 am - 4 pm
Friday: 10 am - 4 pm
Saturday: 10 am - 2 pm
Sunday: Closed
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Our new Community Store will be located in Reed Plaza, across the street from Fred Meyer, near the Dollar Store and Monolith Tattoo. The address is: 61470 S Hwy 97, Bend OR 97702.
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No, we will be making a complete move from our warehouse in Scandia Plaza to the Community Store location in Reed Plaza.
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We will be closed the last week of March (March 28, 29, 30). So plan your March shopping appropriately if you will want your two weeks’ worth of groceries.
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You will still be able to get groceries from our food pantry twice per calendar month.
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Guests are encouraged to bring their own grocery bags as our supply is limited. Also, make sure to bring your Guest Membership Card! If you don’t have one or need a new one, just let us know.
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There is limited capacity for shopping, so there may be a wait to shop, especially while we are in transition and adjusting to our new model. We greatly appreciate your patience with us!
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When you enter the store, you will be greeted by a volunteer and directed to the appropriate reception lane to be checked in. Shopping follows check-in where you will receive a grocery cart to put your food items in. Allowances for the number of food items that can be taken will be posted on the shelves and are determined by family size. After you are done shopping, you will proceed to check out where your groceries will be weighed and bagged. All guests will be walked through this new process on their first visit to the store; please do not concern yourself with the details quite yet!
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We encourage our guests to utilize the new shopping model to ensure that you are getting the food you and your families want, but if you would like one of our volunteer personal shoppers to do your shopping for you while you wait in our waiting area, that is an option we will make available to our guests. Let our reception team know this when you come to shop.
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If you are picking up groceries for other (or additional) households, one of our shopping assistant volunteers will shop for those families while you wait in the waiting area. PLEASE NOTE: If you are picking up for more than three households, you must contact us 24 hours in advance. All inquiries can be sent to info@thegivingplate.org.
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YES! We are SO excited to be re-introducing Kid’s Korner Store, a separate section of the store dedicated to serving our guests aged 17 and under.
PLEASE NOTE: To receive Kid’s Korner snacks, children MUST be present. Parents can not shop for absent children.
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Yes. Children MUST be present to shop in Kid’s Korner. We created new Wednesday hours with our families in mind so they can bring their school-aged kids after school until 6:00 pm. We also will maintain our Saturday hours to accommodate children in school.
The video below outlines the changes in how we will receive donations.
Community Partners FAQs
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As of April 3rd, all donations can be dropped off at our new Distribution Center located at 1212 NE 1st Street, Bend OR 97701.
During our open hours, we ask you to drive to the back parking lot to drop donations with our team in our warehouse. Our driveway is a U shape. You will enter on the south side and exit on the north side.
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The Distribution Center will operate from Tuesday to Saturday with the following schedule:
Monday: closed
Tuesday : 8 am - 12:00pm
Wednesday: 8 am - 12:00pm
Thursday: 10 am - 2 pm
Friday: 10am - 2 pm
Saturday:10 am - 2 pm
Sunday: closed
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If you are dropping off food donations outside of our open hours, we will have a food donation receptacle located in the front of our Distribution Center to drop your food into.
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Yes! We graciously accept any and all non-expired foods in their original packaging. For a complete list of food items that we are in need of, please see our donation page: www.thegivingplate.org/donate
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We have lots of new volunteer opportunities at our new store. Please go to www.thegivingplate.org/volunteer to apply.
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We will begin receiving food donations during our open hours at our Distribution Center from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on Wednesday, April 3rd (which just happens to be our 14th birthday).
Until then, we will continue receiving your food donations at our facility in Scandia Plaza.