Q: What if I don’t have internet access, or I can’t figure out the online ordering system? Can I call instead?
A: Yes! Call us at 978-283-6776. Our staff are happy to help you place your order over the phone. We are also here to help answer any questions you have, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also email us at gethelp@foodpantry.org.
Q: English isn’t my first language. Are there translation services available?
A: We have a translation service available via phone at 978-283-6776 with many languages available. You can also email us at gethelp@foodpantry.org and we will either call you back or reply in your language.
Our online ordering system will also soon be available in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Arabic, in addition to English.
Even if you are fluent in English, if you’d prefer using a translation service, please let us know.
Q: Do I need to make a “New Shopper” profile?
A: If you are a new client of The Open Door OR are returning to us after two or more years, you will need to fill out an online “New Shopper” form, at foodpantry.org/shopper. The form will ask basic questions about you and your household. We aim to process “New Shopper” profiles within one business day.
Current shoppers already have a profile and can place an order by logging in with their Shopper ID and password (more information on this below).
Q: How will I know when my “New Shopper” profile has been approved?
A; You will get an email with your username and password once your profile has been approved. You can place an order right away at foodpantry.org/order.
Q: What is my shopper ID (username) and password?
A: Your Shopper ID is the first four letters of your last name, with the first letter capitalized, followed by your two-digit month of birth and two-digit day of birth.
For example, if John Smith was born on May 1, his Shopper ID would be Smit0501.
Your password is your six-digit date of birth. For example, if Smith was born in 1960, his password would be 050160.
If this format does not work for you, email us at gethelp@foodpantry.org or call us at 978-283-6776.
Q: If I place an order, when can I pick it up?
A: You can select a pick-up time at the end of your order. Deliveries are available for those who qualify (more information on this below).
Orders can be picked up at either our Gloucester or Ipswich food pantries—the food choices are the same.
PLEASE review our pick-up schedule below so that you can plan a time that works well for you to pick-up your groceries for yourself and your family. Depending on which day and location you place your order, it may take 1-3 business days for it to be ready for pick-up.
View our schedule below:
Q: How can I get approved to receive groceries through the delivery program?
A: Please call us at 978-283-6776. A member of our staff will interview you to determine if you qualify for our delivery program.
Q: What does USDA stand for, and why am I being asked when I log in whether I qualify for USDA food assistance?
A: USDA stands for the United States Department of Agriculture. If you have been approved for a shopper profile, you can assume you qualify and select yes. The Open Door along with all food pantries and food banks in the United States receive food from USDA as part of The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). To receive the food, we are required to ask this question. Your information remains private and secure, and is not shared.
Q: When I select the “past orders” section, I can select the same list of groceries that I previously ordered. However, when I pick-up the order or receive my delivery, the items aren’t all there. Why is this happening?
A: Our available food and household products change from week to week. We might not have an item you ordered last week in stock, even though it was included in a previous order you placed. For this reason, we encourage you to go through our menu each week to see the options available to you so that you know that all of the items in your cart are in stock, and also so that you don’t miss any new items that may have arrived.
Q: How often can I order groceries?
A: Clients may order groceries once every week. For example, if you placed an order on Monday, your next order can be placed on or after the following Monday.
Q: What if I need food today, or I can’t commit to a pick-up time because my schedule is unpredictable?
A: Come directly to our Gloucester pantry anytime from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or our Ipswich pantry anytime from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Tell our staff or volunteers when you arrive that you need a quick trip, and we will provide you with basic grocery staples for the week. We also offer quick trip grocery orders tailored for those without access to a kitchen. You can make limited adjustments to your quick trip order, for example if you have an infant and need diapers let our staff know and they will add those to your quick trip.
Our same-day pickups are intended for those who need food immediately or whose schedule is unpredictable and does not allow them to make an appointment in advance.
If you are able to make an appointment online to pick-up your groceries in the next 1-3 business days depending on the day and pantry location, we recommend you do so instead of coming directly to our pantries for a quick trip. You can view our pick-up schedule above. Making an appointment in advance through our online ordering system will give you full choice over what is included in your order, so that you can pick and choose the items that meet you and your family’s taste, preferences, and dietary needs.
Q: What does the orange “Quick Trip” button mean?
Please ignore the quick trip button when placing an order through our online ordering system—it is meant to be used by staff helping clients who show up without an appointment. If you want a basic grocery order you can use the button to auto-populate your online grocery cart, but the majority of our clients prefer customizing their orders fully. Also, placing a quick trip order online will not result in a same-day pick-up.
Q: What does the purple “Note to Staff” button mean?
A: If you click on this button, you can leave a note for staff about your preferences for items you have placed in your cart. For example, you can ask for a certain flavor or variety of an item, like Raisin Bran cereal or Caesar dressing. We do our best to accommodate requests but cannot guarantee your request will be met.
If you are not seeing an item in our menu, that means it is unfortunately not available through our inventory at that time.
This button should not be used to request additional items you have not placed in your cart. We also use this system to track our inventory and leaving a note asking for additional items does not comply with that system.
Q: I have a special diet (gluten free, vegan, dairy free, etc.) How can I get access to see all of the available special dietary items in my weekly menu?
A: Call us at 987-283-6776. One of our staff will be able to grant you access to view all of the items available to you. PLEASE ALSO CALL IF YOU HAVE A BABY OR A OLDER ADULT IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD, as we can grant you access to view additional items available for these populations as well.
Q: What does the “points balance” mean in the upper right-hand corner of the screen?
A: All of our clients are given far more points than they will need, which also reset each week. You never need to worry about running out of points.
The points balance is a necessary feature for the ordering system and our inventory systems to function.
Q: How can I get a community meal with my order?
A: If you are picking up a grocery order, tell our staff and/or volunteers when you arrive that you’d also like a community meal.
If you are placing an order for a delivery, leave a note for staff with the number of meals you need. The “Note to Staff” button is purple and located at the bottom left of our online ordering system.
Q: My question is not here.
A: Call us at 978-283-6776.