Photos, receipts and forms
Count the pantry from a few photos
Volunteers photograph the shelves. Grantkeeper reads the photos, counts what it can see, compares it with the levels you want on hand and lists what to ask for.
Fictional example.
Text it like this
Fictional example.
How to take the photos
One shelf or bin per photo, labels facing out, in good light, with the shelf number in the shot if you use them. Grantkeeper counts the items it can see, groups them by product and size, and notes the shelf. Cans stacked behind other cans, boxes turned sideways and anything in shadow go on a "check by hand" list. A volunteer can text the corrected number and the sheet updates.
What comes back
A count by item and shelf, the items under the levels you set, and a dated spreadsheet in your files, so next week's count can be compared with this one. When it can read a printed date, it lists items with dates coming up. USDA's food safety service explains that a "Best if Used By" date is about quality, not safety, so follow your food bank's own rules for dated items rather than the date alone.
The short list can turn straight into a donor ask for the newsletter or a sign by the door, with the same items and amounts.
If volunteers would rather type
Grantkeeper can also build a simple count page with your items and levels that volunteers fill in on a phone. What they type is saved on your own server, and a button downloads the spreadsheet. Anyone with the link can change the numbers, and each link opens the page for 30 minutes, so text Grantkeeper for a fresh link on count day.
Counting on a schedule
Pick the same day each week, such as the morning before distribution, so the counts compare cleanly. Over a few weeks the sheets show which items run out first, which is useful for a food drive or a grant request for specific items.
Low items make a good, specific ask. The Friday newsletter recipe can carry this week's list.
Sources: USDA FSIS: food product dating
What you send
Clear photos of each shelf or bin, the levels you want on hand for your main items, and the date.
What Grantkeeper prepares
A count by item and shelf, the items below your levels, dated items it could read, and a spreadsheet saved in your files.
What to keep in mind
Counts from photos are estimates. Items hidden behind others or turned away from the camera are marked "check by hand", never guessed.