Terms of Service | Fresh Food Network

Agreement to Terms

Welcome to Fresh Food Network, an Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. By accessing or using our website and services, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our services.

These Terms apply to all users, including visitors, volunteers, donors, and coordinators. Please read them carefully.

Our Services

Fresh Food Network provides a platform to:

Connect people with community food resources (fridges, pantries, meal programs) across the United States
Enable volunteers to coordinate and manage food resources
Facilitate food donations from individuals and businesses
Share information about food availability and locations

User Accounts

Account Creation

To volunteer or manage resources, you must create an account. You agree to:

Provide accurate and complete information
Maintain the security of your account credentials
Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
Be responsible for all activities under your account
Be at least 13 years old (or have parental consent)

No Account Required for Recipients

You do NOT need an account to find or access food resources.

Our map and location finder are available to everyone without registration. Food access should never have barriers.

User Conduct

When using our services, you agree NOT to:

Violate any applicable laws or regulations
Infringe on intellectual property rights
Harass, abuse, or harm others
Distribute spam, malware, or harmful content
Impersonate others or provide false information
Interfere with the operation of our services
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
Scrape or collect data without permission

Food Safety and Liability

For Donors

If you donate food, you agree to:

Only donate safe, fresh, and unexpired food
Follow food safety guidelines and location-specific rules
Label prepared foods with ingredients and dates
Package food properly and securely

For Recipients

Food from community fridges and pantries is provided as-is. You acknowledge that:

We cannot guarantee the safety or quality of donated food
You are responsible for inspecting food before consuming it
If food looks, smells, or tastes off, do not consume it
You use food at your own risk

Good Samaritan Protection

The federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (42 U.S.C. § 1791) protects good-faith food donors and the nonprofit organizations that distribute donated food from civil and criminal liability, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. This protection applies when:

The food is donated in good faith to a nonprofit organization for distribution to those in need
The food is apparently wholesome at the time of donation
The donor does not receive any compensation for the donation
The donation is not the result of gross negligence or intentional misconduct

Ohio Revised Code § 2305.37 provides additional state-level protections for food donors. Fresh Food Network, as a nonprofit intermediary, benefits from and extends these protections to good-faith donors using our platform.

Intellectual Property

All content on our platform—including text, graphics, logos, photos, and software—is owned by Fresh Food Network or our licensors and is protected by copyright and trademark laws.

You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works without our written permission.

User Content

If you upload photos or submit content, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute that content in furtherance of our nonprofit mission. You retain ownership of your content.

You represent that you have the right to share any content you submit.

Content Moderation

We review user-submitted content (including photos, reviews, and resource updates) to maintain the quality and safety of our platform. We may remove or decline to publish content that:

Violates our Acceptable Use Policy
Contains inaccurate or misleading information about food resources
Includes inappropriate, offensive, or harmful material
Infringes on the intellectual property rights of others

Content moderation decisions are made at our sole discretion. If your content is removed, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you.

Copyright and DMCA Policy

We respect the intellectual property rights of others and expect our users to do the same. In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), we will respond promptly to claims of copyright infringement on our platform.

Filing a DMCA Notice

If you believe that content on Fresh Food Network infringes your copyright, please send a written notice to our designated agent with:

A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed
The URL or location on our site where the infringing material appears
Your contact information (name, address, phone, email)
A statement that you have a good faith belief the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on their behalf
Your physical or electronic signature

DMCA Designated Agent

Fresh Food Network
Attn: DMCA Agent
Email: legal@freshfoodnetwork.org

Counter-Notice

If you believe your content was removed in error, you may file a counter-notice with your contact information, identification of the removed content, a statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed by mistake, and your consent to the jurisdiction of the federal court in your district. We will forward your counter-notice to the original complainant and restore the content within 10–14 business days unless we receive notice that the complainant has filed a court action.

Dispute Resolution

We want to address your concerns without needing a formal legal case. Before filing a claim, you agree to try to resolve the dispute informally by contacting us at legal@freshfoodnetwork.org. We will try to resolve the dispute informally within 60 days.

Binding Arbitration

If we cannot resolve a dispute informally, you and Fresh Food Network agree to resolve any claims through final and binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. Arbitration will take place in Franklin County, Ohio, or remotely at your election. The arbitrator's decision will be final and enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver

You agree that any dispute resolution proceedings will be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action.

Exceptions

Either party may bring a claim in small claims court if it qualifies. Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking injunctive relief in court for matters related to intellectual property, data security, or unauthorized access to the platform.

Disclaimers

Our services are provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind.

We do not guarantee:

The accuracy, completeness, or reliability of location information
That food will be available at any given time or location
Uninterrupted or error-free service
The quality or safety of food donated by third parties

You use our services at your own risk.

Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, FRESH FOOD NETWORK SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

Any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages
Loss of profits, data, or use
Personal injury or property damage
Food-related illness or injury
Acts or omissions of third-party donors or volunteers

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Fresh Food Network, its officers, directors, employees, and volunteers from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your use of our services or violation of these Terms.

Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time for:

Violation of these Terms
Fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity
Any reason at our sole discretion

You may delete your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting us using the form below.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, without regard to conflict of law principles. As an Ohio nonprofit corporation, Fresh Food Network is subject to Ohio law and applicable federal law. Any disputes shall be resolved in courts of competent jurisdiction in Ohio.

Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Terms with a new "Last updated" date. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

Questions?

If you have questions about these Terms & Conditions, please reach out using our contact form.