Frequently Asked Questions
The Georgian Good Food Box is a wholesale produce buying club so do I need a membership?
No you don't need to become a member. There are no members in the Georgian Good Food Box, there are no memberships nor any membership dues. Customers can order whenever they wish.
Can anyone order a good food box?
Yes. The Georgian Good Food Box is a wholesale produce buying club and anyone can purchase a box or boxes on any given month and there are no mandatory ordering requirements.
How can I order?
We encourage all of our customers to order online from our website orders page https://ggfb.ca/order/.
Online order payments are processed using PayPal. PayPal is very secure and setting up a PayPal account is free and easy.
For non-PayPal orders, visit one of our order drop off locations listed at the bottom of our website homepage.
Bring your exact change payment in an envelope and write on it:
- your full name
- the month(s) your payment is for
- phone number
- email address
- the quantity (number of boxes you want)
- the amount of cash enclosed
- the pick-up location (where you will be picking up your bag)
Deposit your completed, sealed envelope with payment into one of our order drop boxes placed in convenient locations in the surrounding area. Locations can be found at the bottom of pages of our website.
What is included in a bag?
There are approximately 10 items in a typical bag. The contents of each bag varies month to month but it will normally include a bag of potatoes, a bag of carrots, a bag of onions and a bag of apples and then 5 or 6 other items. Whenever possible, our supplier will provide local, seasonal fruit and vegetables.
How often can I purchase a food box
The Georgian Good Food Box takes orders each month. Customers can order for the month right up until the order deadline which is the 1st Wednesday of the month. Orders are filled on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
What if I forget to order a bag before the deadline?
Unfortunately it means that you will have to wait until the next month. Our deadlines are firm as we have to submit our order quantities to our supplier in advance and it is not possible to add to our order after that point. To help you remember the order and pick up deadlines we encourage all of our customers to subscribe to our mailing list and follow us on our social media pages. There is a mailing list subscription form at the bottom of our website homepage as well as links to our social media pages.
Where does the produce come from?
All produce is purchased from the Ontario Food Terminal or local Ontario growers by Sanfilippo Wholesale Produce in Collingwood. Sanfilippo has been an invaluable partner and has supplied high quality produce to the GGFB program since it began. Without Sanfilippo the GGFB would not exist. Visit their website for more information. www.sanfilippowholesale.ca
Is the Georgian Good Food Box part of a larger non-profit organization or charity?
No the Georgian Good Food Box is not part of any larger organization. It is a separate not-for-profit corporation that is 100% administered by a group of dedicated volunteers, and a volunteer Board of Directors
Does the Georgian Good Food Box receive any government funding or other funding from NGO organizations?
No the Georgian Good Food Box is 100% funded by customer orders and contributions from individual benefactors that occasionally provide donations that allow the Good Food Box to cover expenses such as insurance, bags, promotional materials, website hosting and other such costs.
Does the Georgian Good Food Box make a profit?
The Georgian Good Food Box is a Not-For-Profit organization that is run entirely by volunteers. We do not have a single paid employee and we do not make money. The money and contributions collected by the Georgian Good Food Box is used to purchase food and supplies and any excess is donated within the community.
Does the Georgian Good Food Box accept eTransfers for payment?
We do not accept eTransfers as payment at this time however that functionality may be considered at some point in the future.
Does the Georgian Good Food Box accept credit cards as payment?
No in order to maintain privacy for our customers, the Georgian Good Food Box does not accept credit card payments at this time.
What if I forget to pick up my bag?
If your bag is unclaimed at the end of the pack day, our volunteers will try to contact you by phone or email to arrange for pick up. If you still do not pick up your bag, it will be donated to the Food Bank or other organization to make sure it gets to someone in need. To help you remember the order and pick up deadlines we encourage all of our customers to subscribe to our mailing list and follow us on our social media pages. There is a mailing list subscription form at the bottom of our website homepage as well as links to our social media pages.
Can someone else pick up my Bag for me?
Yes, that is possible. If you can’t make it, just send us an email to gfoodbox@gmail.com and tell us who will be picking up your bag for you.
What happens when the weather is bad, can we still get our order?
Unless the roads are closed by order of the authorities, we don’t cancel pick up. We recognize that picking up your order can be a challenge, and we try to be flexible if you let us know you’ll be late due to weather.
Do you provide refunds?
Unfortunately, no we do not provide refunds. All orders are prepaid to the supplier and therefore refunds are not possible.
Why Do we Get Potatoes Every Month?
The Good Food Box contains potatoes, onions, carrots and apples every month. Under the guidance of the District Health Unit, these are considered staples that stretch our food budgets further and provide essential nutrients in an affordable way. They form the basis of nutritious meals such as soups and stews. Some of our customers share their bag of potatoes with friends or family, or they donate them.
What happens to any leftover produce?
We order produce from the wholesaler Sanfilippo based on customer orders. When ordering some produce by weight, occasionally there can be some surplus items that get donated to organizations such as the Food Bank.
Is the produce organic and / or sourced locally?
The Good Food Box Program was established to address food insecurity by making fresh fruit and vegetables more affordable to residents in our communities. For that reason, our first priority is making sure that we get as many fresh produce items as possible in the food boxes for the dollars paid. Sometimes it is possible to buy local and/or organic and achieve our objective.
What if my bag contains damaged or spoiled produce?
Our customers find that the produce is of very high quality and fresh since it has not been handled by grocers or sat on store shelves. Our volunteers pack each bag with great care but sometimes a spoiled item may get missed. If you are dissatisfied, please let us know as the feedback is important to us and our supplier.
Can I donate a box to someone in need?
Yes absolutely you can donate a bag to someone who needs it. If you are ordering a donated bag from our website you can simply select "Donate Please donate a bag to someone in need" from the Pick-up Location dropdown box or if you simply wish to donate cash in any amount you can click on the DONATE button on the right hand side of every page on our website. If ordering from our website and you wish to donate a bag to a specific person you will have to contact us to let us know who it should go to.
If you wish to donate cash using a drop-off location then you can simply write "Please donate to someone in need" or "Please donate to (specific person)" on the envelope .
How can I volunteer with the Georgian Good Food Box?
For more information regarding volunteering with the Georgian Good Food Box you can visit the volunteers page on our website https://ggfb.ca/volunteers/. You can use our contact form https://ggfb.ca/contact-us/ or send us an email at gfoodbox@gmail.com and let us know how you would like to help.