Eboxes is Philabundance's response to the increasing emergency calls from people who need immediate access to food. The program was developed to serve as an immediate measure to hold a family over until Philabundance can connect them with ongoing food assistance through an agency within the network. Households can only receive an Ebox once because it is an emergency measure that is not meant to serve as an on-going source of food. Ebox sites do not accommodate walk-ins, since clients must be referred to sites by Philabundance.
Eboxes weigh 30 pounds and contain shelf-stable food for three meals for a family of four to last for about three days. The contents of an E-Box will vary depending on what food Philabundance has readily available. E-Boxes will usually contain the following items:
- hot and cold breakfast cereals
- shelf-stable milk
- canned meat and fish
- canned fruits and vegetables
- peanut butter and jelly
- bagged/boxed grains
- macaroni and cheese
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The boxes also contain information on agencies available for food assistance on an on-going basis. Ebox recipients must provide basic household and income information, but it is on a self-declared basis.
Need for Ebox:
Philabundance sees a growing number of people having difficulty obtaining food from food cupboards when they need it. The lack of immediate assistance available through the current system due to demand and lack of resources may result in an emergency food situation. Many food cupboards in our system are currently at maximum capacity with the number of people that they already serve. As a result, they do not actively perform outreach or make their services visible to individuals other than their regular clients. Ebox is our response to those emergency phone calls; ensuring that those in need will have immediate access to emergency food. |
