Logistics for small charities: donated goods, storage and food safety

This guide is for small charities that handle physical things: food pantries, clothing closets, school supply drives, furniture banks, disaster relief collections. Donated goods are a wonderful gift, but they also bring work: sorting, storing, moving and tracking. After reading, you will be able to set clear rules for what you accept, store and move goods safely, keep a simple inventory, and follow basic food safety practices if you handle food.

Start with what you actually need

The biggest logistics problem for small charities is usually not too little, but too much of the wrong thing. Well-meaning donors bring items you can't use, and volunteers spend hours sorting and disposing of them.

Write a short donation policy that says:

• What you accept, and what you don't (for example: "new or gently used winter coats; no stained or torn items; no car seats or cribs")
• When and where people can drop off
• Whether you can pick up, and from where
• What happens to items you can't use (passed to partner charities, recycled)

Post it on your website, social media and drop-off point. Update a short "most needed now" list regularly.

Receiving donations

• Have a set drop-off time and place, with a volunteer present if possible. Unattended drop-offs lead to piles of unusable items and safety risks.
• Check items when they arrive. Politely decline anything you can't use, rather than taking it and dealing with it later.
• Thank donors and, if they ask, give a written receipt.

The IRS says a donor needs a written acknowledgment from you to claim a deduction for any single contribution of $250 or more. For noncash gifts, the acknowledgment should include a description of the items, but not their value. Valuing the items is the donor's job, not yours.

Storage

Good storage keeps items safe, usable and easy to find.

• Keep it clean, dry and secure. Damp ruins clothing and paper. Pests ruin food.
• Get things off the floor with shelves or pallets.
• Label everything clearly: what it is, size or type, and date received.
• Group like with like and keep the most-used items nearest the door.
• Keep walkways and exits clear. Never block fire exits or emergency equipment.
• Store heavy items low and light items high.
• Use "first in, first out": put new stock behind older stock so older items go out first. This matters especially for food.

If you use space donated by a church, school or business, agree in writing who can access it, when, and who is responsible for damage or loss. Check that your insurance covers stored goods (see our insurance basics guide).

Moving things: transport and lifting

• Lift safely: bend the knees, keep loads close, and get help with heavy or awkward items. Use carts and hand trucks.
• Don't overload vehicles, and secure loads.
• Know who is driving and in what vehicle. If volunteers use their own cars, check with your insurance agent about coverage.

A simple inventory

Inventory means knowing what you have, where it is and how much. You don't need special software. A shared spreadsheet works well for most small charities.

Track:

• Item and category
• Quantity
• Location (shelf or room)
• Date received (and expiry date for food)
• Date distributed and how many

Count your main items once a month. Inventory helps you spot what is running low, what is piling up, and how much you give out, which is useful for grant reports.

Food safety basics

If your charity handles food, safety comes first. People who rely on food programs may include children, older adults, pregnant people and people with health conditions.

Temperature

The FDA advises:

• Refrigerators at or below 40°F (4°C)
• Freezers at 0°F (-18°C)
• The two-hour rule: don't leave food that needs refrigeration at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour if the air temperature is above 90°F.

Keep an appliance thermometer in every fridge and freezer, and check and record temperatures regularly. The FDA suggests checking at least once a week; many food programs check daily.

Dates on food

The FDA explains that a "use by" date is generally the manufacturer's recommendation for best quality, not a safety date, and that food may be safe after it. The exception is infant formula, which the FDA says must be used by its use-by date. Many pantries also have their own date rules, or follow rules from their food bank or local health department. If a food looks or smells questionable, throw it out.

Everyday practices

• Wash hands before handling food, and use gloves where required.
• Keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat food.
• Keep cleaning chemicals away from food.
• Throw away dented, swollen or leaking cans and damaged packaging.
• Keep allergen information on labels when you repackage food.

Your state or local health department sets the food safety rules that apply to you, and they vary. If you cook, serve meals or repackage food, ask them what permits, training or inspections you need. Your regional food bank, if you partner with one, may also have rules.

The Good Samaritan food donation law

The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act is a federal law that encourages food donation by limiting liability.

In plain words, the law says:

• People and businesses that donate apparently wholesome food (food that meets quality and labeling standards, even if it isn't sellable because of how it looks, its age, or a surplus) in good faith to a nonprofit, for distribution to people in need, are protected from civil and criminal liability arising from the food's nature, age, packaging or condition.
• Nonprofits that receive such food in good faith and distribute it to people in need are protected in the same way.
• Since a 2023 amendment, the protection also covers food distributed to people in need at a "good Samaritan reduced price" (no more than the cost of handling and distributing it), and some donors, such as grocers and restaurants, can donate directly to people in need at no cost.
• The protection does not apply to injury or death caused by gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
• The law says it does not override state or local health regulations.

This law is a real comfort to donors and food programs, but it isn't a reason to relax on safety. Good practices protect people, and they protect your charity.

Your logistics checklist

• Write and post a donation policy with "yes" and "no" lists
• Set drop-off times and staff them where possible
• Send written acknowledgments for gifts of $250 or more
• Organize storage: off the floor, labeled, first in first out, exits clear
• Set up a simple inventory spreadsheet and count monthly
• Check insurance for storage and volunteer driving
• Put thermometers in every fridge and freezer and log temperatures
• Ask your local health department what food rules apply to you

Good logistics are invisible when they work: the right items reach the right people, safely, without exhausting your volunteers. A few simple systems make all the difference.

If you want help setting up storage or inventory, ask a member charity for help through the Exchange.

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change and every situation is different, so check the official sources and talk to a qualified professional before you act.