FAQs
🚗 Can I complete rescues in a small car?
Yes! Mini is mighty! While some rescues are large, the majority of them can fit into a sedan. If you’re unsure about the size of the rescue, check the number of boxes or bags it is – most boxes are about the size of a small moving box – easy to lift by one person. Or if you have a super small car, stick to smaller rescues like UDF and Chick-Fil-A instead of our large produce rescues like Castellini and Kroger.
🍔 How do I know what food to expect?
When you click on a rescue there’s a tiny upwards arrow (^) in the middle of the screen that you can click to view more details. Here there’s an estimate of what kind of food you’ll be picking up. We’ll also include notes here such as “heavy lifting required” or “large vehicle needed” so it’s always helpful to view before claiming!
🍓 What are the expectations for inspecting food?
Food donors should be giving you good, edible food, but sometimes there’s an oversight. If you’re able, check the bottom of the bag or box to make sure food isn’t squished or moldy and that packaged food is still sealed. You do not have to unpack big boxes or go through every single piece of produce, but a general glance-over will help us be sure we aren’t taking bad food to a non-profit. If you have further questions about this, review the safety training.
⏰ What does the time range on rescues mean?
The clock is ticking, but maybe not as fast as you think! When you click on a rescue, it gives you a time range such as 10:30-11:30am. This is a range for PICK UP. In this example you just need to arrive at the food donor no later than 11:30 and then take it directly to the non-profit.
☎️ Who can I call if I’m stuck?
If you have any issues, questions, or concerns while on your rescue, you can always reach us at 513-449-1698. We recommend saving it to your phone. There’s also a phone icon in the app that you can tap on to call us at any time during your rescue if you have an issue.
⛔️ What do I do if I can’t make it?
If you are unable to make a rescue, it’s easy to drop it in the app. Simply go to the “my rescues” tab and then click “drop this rescue.” Or, if you have a weekly template you have to first click “request a sub” and then you can either drop a specific week or the entire template. If it’s within two hours of the start of the rescue, you won’t be able to drop – you’ll have to give us a call if you’re dropping close to the start time!
📦 What do I do with empty crates after my rescue?
Donors request that you return their crates after a rescue, HOWEVER, you do not have to return them that same day. You can return the crates next time it’s convenient for you. And if you picked up from a Kroger or UDF you can return them to ANY Kroger or UDF store.
📋 How do I report quantities of what I picked up?
After you click “Arrived at Pick Up” you will have special instructions pop up on your screen. Once you close out of those instructions you’ll see an option to edit the quantities that you picked up. Please give your best guess to fill these out correctly! If you picked up something that wasn’t listed you can add an item manually or leave a note when you are rating your rescue on the last screen so that we can update!
📷 Do I have to use the photo page?
Please always take a photo of your rescue! Not a fan of selfies? That’s okay – just snap a photo of the food you rescued and click “next” to upload it to the app. Even if you don’t want to share on social media, it’s super helpful for us to get photos in order to see what food is being rescued!
📱 Where can I find assistance with using the app?
A good place to start is our YouTube page which has a lot of different tutorials! Still stuck?
Give us a call at 513-449-1698.
🥇 How can I help in more ways?
If you are unable to do rescues and still want to help – or you do rescues and want to get more involved, let us know! We have “superhero” volunteers who help us with other tasks including captaining a Kroger store, helping with admin work, or even doing data analytics. If you want to get involved in a bigger way, email us to let us know!