When does Urgent Care EMS Response Team restock our pantry?  The Urgent Care EMS Response Team hosts a monthly food collection and sorting initiative, known as the Orange Bag Event, from August through May each school year. All donated food and toiletries are promptly transported to our facility, where they are inventoried and carefully sorted. Once prepared, these items are delivered directly to participating schools to help stock and sustain their on‑site pantries.

What does my school need to do on Orange Bag days? - To ensure timely delivery, we ask that a staff member be available on Monday morning following each event so the Urgent Care EMS Response Team can deliver donations and restock the pantry for the week ahead.

If Monday availability is not possible, the school and pantry must be open on the event day itself, allowing our volunteer team to deliver the filled bins directly to your campus.

These events take place monthly throughout the school year.

Who do I can if my pantry is running low? - The best first step is to contact the Urgent Care EMS Response Team at (681) 217‑0930 to identify the Area Manager (AM) assigned to your school. Your AM can coordinate with nearby schools to locate additional food if needed. If no surplus is available, they have the resources to secure supplemental items to ensure your pantry remains stocked until the next Orange Bag Event.

What if I need multiple food pantries around the school? - Many of the larger schools my require multiple distribution points throughout their buildings. The Urgent Care EMS Response Team can supply essential items to these locations as long as the school provides secure, locking cabinets for offices or shared‑use spaces.

When available, we also offer a range of bin sizes to help store food in offices, nurse’s stations, or classrooms, making it easy for staff to quickly access and provide snacks to students who need them.

Does our school need to promote Urgent Care EMS Response Team? - Absolutely. Our programs thrive because of strong community involvement and the support we receive as we partner with schools to ensure students have the food and essentials they need. To help schools share information about their partnership with the Urgent Care EMS Response Team, we provide a sample “Letter from the Principal.”

We also supply ready‑to‑use marketing materials—including short blurbs and graphics—for school newsletters, PTA communications, and social media. In addition, we offer fundraising resources that help us provide Holiday Meals and Grocery Store Gift Cards to students and families throughout the year.

How does my school qualify for grocery store gift cards? - The Grocery Store Gift Card Program expands the support offered through our Orange Bag Program. To participate, partner schools must maintain a reliable food distribution system—such as a pantry or weekend snack‑bag program—and actively engage their communities through outreach, donation opportunities, and volunteer involvement with the Urgent Care EMS Response Team.

After six months of a successful partnership, schools become eligible to join the Gift Card Program. Physical grocery store gift cards are provided, and your Area Manager will work directly with your school to coordinate delivery.

Why does Urgent Care EMS Response Team send surveys and what type pf questions will be asked? - Individuals, businesses, organizations, and grantors who support the Urgent Care EMS Response Team through food and financial contributions want to understand the impact of their generosity. To provide this insight, we distribute one to two Impact Surveys each school year. These surveys gather information such as the number of students served, how frequently they receive support, and general demographic details. Donors are also interested in the positive outcomes our programs create, so we ask about improvements in areas like attendance, academic performance, focus, and participation in class or activities.

Your timely response to these surveys is greatly appreciated, and our team is always available to assist with any questions.

In addition, we send quarterly mini‑surveys to help determine which students or families may need grocery store gift cards. These brief surveys have quick turnaround times to ensure efficient coordination.

For questions or support, please contact Mitchell at (681) 217‑0930 or Mitchell@ucemsrt.org.