FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM FOR VOLUNTEERS

“Cooking for Crowds — A Volunteer’s Guide to Food Safety” covers topics such as how food becomes unsafe, preparation practices to keep food safe, and purchasing and storage of food and supplies.

Geared for volunteers, those working in food establishments will also find the information to be beneficial. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture accepts this program for the legal operations of nonprofit organizations.

Each year, people can potentially become exposed to pathogens through food served by nonprofit organizations.

• How will your organization protect its customers from food-borne illness?

• Does your organization know the food safety risks that result from cooking large volumes of food?

• Does your organization know how to prevent the food safety risks that result from cooking large volumes of food?

The training will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Carbon County Emergency Management Building, 1264 Emergency Lane in Nesquehoning.

Those who should attend include volunteers who work at church dinners, fire company chicken barbecues, booster club hoagie sales and organizational bake sales. Nonprofit food fundraisers are an excellent way to socialize with the community while earning money for organizational activities. Your organization has so much to gain from a successful food fundraiser. Don’t risk your customers’ health or damage your organization’s reputation.

The cost for the course is $40 per organization (includes up to five people) and $5 for each additional person from the same organization (one pack of resources per organization, additional books can be purchased for $10).

Register by Nov. 10 online at http://extension.psu.edu/food/safety/events or contact Penn State Extension, 529 Lentz Trail, Jim Thorpe, by calling 570-325-2788, or email CarbonExt@psu.edu for assistance. You can pay by credit card online or mail in a check.