MAHONING COUNTY, Ohio - The cans, the boxes and maybe the produce are what many notice first when walking into a food pantry but those pantry operators are focused on much more than just being able to keep food coming in.

To open a pantry the first step is the building. It has to be a separate space that locks and is temperature controlled.

Second is the shelves. No food can be stored on the ground so pallets or metal shelving are a must.

Then the optional additions are freezers and refrigerators. They are not required but must be at specific temperatures to keep food safe.

“Dry food has to be stored in an area no more than 71 degrees and then our freezers, if they have freezers, zero or below refrigeration is anywhere from 33 to 41 degrees,” Julianne Carsone, Second Harvest Food Ban

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