Frequently Asked Questions
-
We've gathered together a few questions that we hear from time to time about our organic home delivery service.
Take a look and see if your question is here. If you can't find your answers here, send us an email or give us a call at 503.236.6496
Email is the preferred communication method since we’re a small company and don't have a full-time person handling the phone and voicemail.What does being a member mean? Is there a commitment?
Membership is just a term used to describe people who are getting our service. There are no contracts or required subscriptions. You choose whether you want delivery just once, or regularly every week, every 2 weeks, every 3 weeks, or every 4 weeks.
How do I redeem a Chinook Coupon?
1. Write the first and last name listed on the account on the coupon.
2. Leave the coupon out for the driver to pickup on your delivery day. --or-- Mail the coupon to our office at 898 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97214.
3. Once we receive the coupon here in the office we'll add the discount to your payment history as well as adjust the billing accordingly.Where does the produce come from?
This is one of the most important questions. Our vegetables and fruits mostly come directly from local area farms. By buying directly from the farmer we are assuring that you get the freshest produce with the least amount of processing and travel possible. Supporting local farms also means that the money is staying within the communities that we serve while also helping to keep small family farms operational. We also source some organic produce from local distributors like Organically Grown Company and Charlie’s Produce when the local growing season slows down during the winter and early spring.
How does it all work?
It is as easy as 1,2,3. First, choose your produce bin (additional groceries are optional). Second, create your account complete with delivery and billing details. Third, kick back, relax, and enjoy the service.
I just submitted my order. When do I get my first delivery?
We ask for 24 hours notice for all new orders and for all changes. If you are setting up the order or adjusting it online yourself, sometimes we need even less time. Once you sign up or edit your order, we will show you when your next order is coming on the "My Orders" page of your account (you will be directed to your account immediately after registration). If you'd like to postpone the delivery, you can change the start date after registration.
How do I pay?
You may setup a credit card on your account for automatic billing to occur on the day before each scheduled delivery. You can also pay with SNAP/EBT (please see SNAP rules and FAQs below). You can also leave a check/money order for the driver to pick-up on your delivery day, or you can mail in the payment to our office address at 898 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97214. All SNAP customers must pay online on the day before delivery in order to finalize the order.
Do you deliver in my area?
We deliver throughout the Portland Metro area along with surrounding neighborhoods. We also have a couple of routes that serve the Vancouver, WA area. Check out our delivery routes map to find out which day of the week we’re in your area.
How much does a bin serve? Is there a prescribed weight?
The answer varies due to many considerations. Do you mostly cook and eat at home? Do you also pack a lunch? Are you following a specific diet (vegan, vegetarian, paleo, etc)? What serving size do you prefer? There is no prescribed weight for the bin as it varies each week due to what is in season and availability. All of the bins do get a certain number of items each week to ensure a diverse selection of organic produce. You are also welcome to try different bins until you find the perfect fit for your culinary needs. Some of our customers even change their bin types seasonally—they’ll order an All Fruit Bin in the summer while their home veggie gardens are in full swing and then will switch back to a mixed bin of fruits and veggies in late autumn. You are not locked in to any bin size, type, or frequency.
What if I don't want something in my bin?
No problem, just note your bin preferences when you sign-up, or log-in and adjust your likes/dislikes on your account. After logging in click "Delivery Information" in the brown sidebar on the left-hand side of the screen. On that page, under “My Preferences,” you can edit your "likes" and "dislikes.” The crew will substitute another item, or one of your “likes” if available, when one of your “dislikes” is to be included in the bin’s contents. Please note however that we require 48 hours’ notice to guarantee we can make any changes.
What do I do if I need to skip a week for any reason?
Going on vacation, have a scheduled business trip, or maybe the fridge is still full? You can set vacation breaks when you log in to your account and click "Delivery Information" in the brown sidebar on the left-hand side of the screen. Then add your hold under “Vacation Settings” near the bottom of the page. Or feel free to contact us via phone or email with the vacation start date, vacation end date, and your account details (name on account and delivery address). Please note however that we require 48 hours’ notice to guarantee we can make any changes.
What other products do you deliver?
We deliver mostly organic products sourced from other local companies. We offer many basics such as bread, milk, eggs, meats, and pantry staples. Feel free to add an item to your produce order on an ongoing or one time basis.
What if I'm not going to be home?
You do not need to be home at the time of delivery as long as the driver has access to a delivery drop spot like your front door, porch, or another specified area. Our delivery window for each route day runs from around 10AM – 5:30PM.
What happens on hot summer days or rainy days?
The driver will do their best to leave your order in a shaded or covered area. We also encourage you to note any special delivery instructions on your account for the driver to reference. If you are not going to be home at the time of delivery, please consider leaving out a cooler during the summer heat to keep your fruits and veggies happy. If you order perishables (milk, meats, other dairy items)--we highly recommend leaving out a cooler with ice packs.
What if I live in a secure building?
Please provide us with any special delivery instructions needed for the driver to access your building. Most folks give us an access code, are able to buzz the driver in remotely via a callbox, supply a key to the main door of the building, or have concierge service/office manager on duty to accept the delivery.
Do you deliver on holidays?
We deliver on most holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas. During the Thanksgiving week--we simply move the delivery schedule up by a day and deliver on Sunday - Wednesday. The Christmas week delivery schedule varies year to year.
Our Refund Policy:
If for any reason you're not satisfied with the produce or one of our other products that you have received, please don't hesitate in letting us know via email. We will compensate you for the issue either by adding in replacement produce to your next bin or by issuing a credit/refund.
What's our privacy policy?
Our policy is very simple: we will never intentionally share, rent, or sell any personal information that you submit on our site.
SNAP & Double Up Food Bucks FAQs
Q: What is SNAP EBT?
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is an electronic system that allows a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participant to pay for food using SNAP benefits. When a participant shops at a SNAP authorized retail store, such as Organics to You, their SNAP EBT account is debited to reimburse the store for food that was purchased. All food products are SNAP eligible at Organics to You.
Q: What is Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) and the Double Up discount?
Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) provides all SNAP recipients with a $1 for $1 match (up to $20) to buy healthy fruits & vegetables when they use their EBT card to purchase produce. At Organics to You, the Double Up discount will automatically be applied to all SNAP purchases and all SNAP customers will get 50% off any purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables, up to $20 off. Only Produce Bins, Produce Add-ons, and Produce by the Case are eligible for the Double Up discount. Grocery items such as milk, eggs, meat, and rice & beans are not eligible for the Double Up discount, but they are still eligible for SNAP payments.
Q. What products are eligible for SNAP EBT at Organics to You?
All food items are eligible for SNAP EBT at Organics to You. Gift baskets, clothing, and driver tips are not eligible.
Q. What products are eligible for the Double Up discount at Organics to You?
All products in the Produce Bins, Produce Add-ons, and Produce by the Case categories are eligible for the Double Up discount. Grocery items such as milk, eggs, meat, and rice & beans are not eligible for the Double Up discount, but they are still eligible for SNAP payments.
Q. How does a customer sign up for Organics to You with SNAP EBT?
Customers shop as normal on the OrganicsToYou.org website. Customers can place items in their cart and checkout. When entering payment information, customer should choose SNAP as their preferred payment method and enter their SNAP card into the system. Customer will still be required to enter their PIN through an emailed link on the day before delivery..
Q. How does a customer sign up for the Double Up discount?
All Organics to You customers who choose SNAP as their payment method are automatically enrolled in the Double Up Food Bucks program. The discount will be applied to their account each time an order runs.
Q: Can Washington residents use their SNAP EBT at Organics to You?
Yes, ALL customers in ALL delivery zones can use their SNAP EBT at Organics to You.
Q: Who is eligible for Double Up Food Bucks?
All customers who choose SNAP as their preferred payment method at Organics to You will automatically be credited with the Double Up Food Bucks discount each time an order runs.
Q. How does the Double Up discount work with an order from Organics to You?
The Small Bin is $45 at Organics to You. The Double Up discount would apply for anyone paying with SNAP at the door, and the discount will match the first $20 spent on fruits and veggies. That means you pay $20 with your SNAP EBT card and the Oregon Food Bank matches it with another $20. That's $40 and you would then cover the last $5 for the Small Bin. So you pay $25 with SNAP EBT at the door, and the discount covers $20.
A Bin for One is only $36, so the Double Up discount will be dollar for dollar. Double Up Food Bucks will match $18 and the customer will pay $18 with SNAP EBT at the door. A Bin for One ($36) plus a Salad Add-on ($20) is $56, so Double Up would match the max $20 and the customer would pay $36 with SNAP at the door.
Only produce items (fruits and veggies) are covered by the discount so groceries like milk, eggs, and rice will not be matched dollar for dollar. However, all non-produce groceries still are eligible for SNAP and would be added to the SNAP total due with your order.
Q. How does the customer pay with SNAP EBT?
Customers will be emailed payment instructions the day before their Organics to You delivery arrives. The customer must log in to enter their PIN and finalize the payment. Payment may be split among SNAP Dollars, EBT Cash, and/or credit/debit card. Driver tips and other non-SNAP-eligible items cannot be paid for with SNAP. Payment must be made by 3am on the day of delivery or the order will be cancelled. The customer is texted a 3-hour delivery window in which to expect the delivery, but the customer is not required to be at home. Delivery instructions can be added to an account if Orgnaics to You drivers need a door code to get, should leave it somewhere other than "at the front door", or any other special circumstances.
Q. What if the customer is not there to receive the order?
Customers no longer need to be home to accept their Organics to You deliveries. Since payment is now made online, the driver will just leave the order at your door. Please let us know if there are any special delivery instructions that our drivers need.
Q. Can a customer pay online with SNAP EBT?
Yes, we now have online SNAP/EBT payments available! Customers can store their card number on file but will be emailed payment instructions one day before delivery. Customers must log-in to enter their PIN to finalize payment for each order. Customers can also split payment over any combination of SNAP, EBT, and credit/debit card. Payments must be made by 3am on the day of delivery, or the order will be cancelled.
Q. Is there a limit on the amount of Double Up customers can earn and redeem at one time?
There is a limit of up to $20 per transaction. Auto-discounts provide up to a $20 match each transaction. So, if a customer spent $50 on fruits and veggies they would receive $20 off, and the new total would be $30.
Q. How does the customer get the Double Up discount?
The customer will earn the Double Up discount every time they purchase eligible items (see above) and pay using their SNAP benefits. All SNAP customers at Organics to You will automatically receive the Double Up discount on their account statement. The customer will then be required to pay the remaining balance with their SNAP EBT.
Q: Why isn’t this program available to non-SNAP customers?
Double Up is a federally funded program. According to Federal guidelines only SNAP/EBT recipients are eligible to participate.
Q. Can a SNAP customer who pays with their credit/debit card still receive the Double Up discount?
No, a customer must pay with their SNAP EBT in order to receive the Double Up discount. The discount will be removed if payment is made with a credit/debit card.
**If you need to modify your order/delivery schedule: Please be sure to adjust your account (https://organicstoyou.org/login) or contact the office with your e-request (info@organicstoyou.org) at least 24 hours before your scheduled delivery.**