Religious Proselytizing Policy

Roadrunner Food Bank's mission is to end hunger, not to promote any religious or political affiliation.  However, many of our partner agencies are churches, synagogues, and other religious entities.  Consequently, it would be unreasonable for the Food Bank to assume that these agencies will provide their hunger relief services without some degree of religious activity.*

However, proselytizing must not be discriminatory or onerous (burdensome or time-consuming) to the client.  It is clearly stated in the Agency Letter of Agreement that any foods obtained from Roadrunner Food Bank must be free to the client without any requirement of payment or action from the client.  If an organization requires a client to participate in an event or a service to receive food, it is the same as requiring the client to pay for the food with the client's time.  Another issue with proselytizing is that clients coming to receive emergency food are in a vulnerable position and may feel pressured to participate.  We want clients that we serve to feel safe, not pressured, when receiving their food.

Therefore, all Roadrunner Food Bank agencies may not require clients or recipients to participate in any religious activity before receiving food.  All distribution of food boxes, congregate meals, snacks, etc. must be completed before any religious service or activity commences.  The client must be allowed to come and pick up their food box/sack or eat their meal and leave without participating in any service or activity.  They must be able to leave with the food or eat the food and then leave before having to listen to a sermon or religious teaching.  In other words, all clients must be free to leave the premises before any religious activity or service begins.

* This policy does not apply to agencies distributing USDA TEFAP commodities and/or Senior Helpings.  Agencies distributing these types of food products MUST NOT have any degree of religious activity involved with distribution, including prayer.  In fact, religious activity and commodity food distribution CANNOT occur on the same day.