Truck Instructions

Atheists United Food Distribution

1. TRUCK PICK UP

9:00 AM

9:15 AM

9:30 AM

  • Purchase a 15-foot truck

    • 5:00 PM estimated return time

    • 50 miles estimated distance traveled

    • Purchase SafeMove Damage Protection ($15)

    • Use the Atheists United Credit Card if available

    • Drivers must be over 18 years old and show a valid driver’s license (commercial license not needed)

    • Pro-Trip: Use the U-Haul app to pre-purchase your 15-foot truck and speed up pickup

  • Complete all checkout procedures

    • Follow all check-out instructions using cellphone before leaving

10:00 AM

10:15 AM

  • Prep truck for drive to LA Regional Food Bank

    • Grab an Atheists United Agency ID Card

      • Cards can be found in the mailroom across from the conference room on the second floor

      • Look for Atheists United’s mailbox

    • Grab cold blankets from AU Office (sometimes stored in the shipping container)

      • Even if nothing is frozen in food bank pre-ordered, they asks we bring cold blankets

10:30 AM

  • Start drive to LA Regional Food Bank

    • 2300 Pellissier Pl, City of Industry, CA 90601

    • Drive past the “Volunteer Entrance” parking lot and pull into the pickup lot (34.031094, -118.029648)

    • Greet entrance staff with your Agency ID Card (#2165) and mention you have an 11:00 AM appointment

      • Note: If you’re more than 10 minutes early to your appointment they will make you park and wait

    • Follow staff instructions for where to park

    • Open the back of your truck and then follow instructions below

2. FOOD BANK PICK UP

11:00 AM

  • Check-in

    • Visit the big white tent with lots of signage in the parking lot corner

      • Use your Agency I.D. Card (#2165) to check in

      • They should give you a piece of paper (and tape) with your agency number on it

      • Stick paper to your truck in a way that’s visible to staff bringing you food

  • Collect pre-ordered food

    • Food bank will start bringing your pre-ordered food directly to your truck

      • Let their forklifts put pallets directs into truck

    • Collect the white and pink papers attached to every pallet!

      • You’ll need these for check-out

  • Shopping

    • Walk up to the “Shopping” area (white board with list of foods under tent) and pick extra items

      • Prioritize dry foods because we can store them in the office between distributions 

      • Try to diversify foods as much as possible (if we already have a lot of veggies, get some fruits or dry foods) 

      • Avoid overselecting frozen items because we can’t store extras at the office 

      • We do not qualify for certain items with letters next to them

      • Don’t forget to also collect the white and pink papers from “shopping” pallets too

  • Pack truck to the best of your ability

    • The 15-foot truck can fit 3 pallets, if one of them is turned 90 degrees

      • Have the forklift operators load the heaviest and tallest pallets first

      • Always center pallets in the truck bed so you don’t tip over on your drive home

      • Use the extra space on the sides to fit remaining extra food

  • Sign pink sheets and check-out

    • When ready to leave, sign each of the pink sheets and return them to the check-in booth to check-out

    • Lock the truck’s rear door and start drive back to the office

3. UNLOAD FOOD AT OFFICE

12:15 PM

1:00 PM

  • Unload food in office parking lot

    • Position truck so that volunteers can easily unload back of truck onto pallets 

    • Pull out rear ramp to help volunteer unload food

    • Food must never touch the ground! (Always use pallets)

      • Food bank rules require food stay at least 6-inches off the ground at all times

  • Clean truck bed

    • Once all food has been removed, give the truck a quick cleaning before returning to U-Haul

  • Each Lunch

    • Try and grab some food before you hit the road again to return the truck!

4. RETURN TRUCK

2:00 PM

  • Start return trip of truck

    • Recruit a volunteer to drive separately to meet you at U-Haul of Hollywood so you can carpool back to the office after the drop off

  • Refill gas tank

    • Drive to Sinclair Gas Station and refill gas tank to the same amount it was at when you receive it

      • Usually about ¼ of a tank, but you will have a paper from the U-Haul office to reference

      • If you forget this step you have to pay U-Haul to refill the gas (far more expensive!)

    • Use the Atheists United Credit Card if available

  • Return truck to U-Haul Hollywood

    • 4550 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

    • Follow all truck return instructions (gas and mileage confirmation, return keys, etc.)

    • Have receipt sent to your email so you can share with Atheists Untied (take photos if printed)

    • If not returned by 5 PM U-Haul charges late fees

2:15 PM

2:30 PM - Close

  • Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

    • Feel free to jump in and volunteer with food packing, or sit back and relax. You earned it!

EXTRAS

Photos

Questions