How can I easily sell bbq for charity?

[jd-santaclarita]

Hi all,
I dont know much about the rules and regulations of selling bbq, but I remember looking at it briefly a few years ago and it was a nightmare...(santa clarita, ca). I have heard of regulations being very light and forgiving for charity based operations though. I am wondering if this is the same for food or bbq? I was thinking of some way i could easily setup shop somewhere (side of the road, grocery store parking lot, etc, etc) with a few pits (basic offsets or uds's, etc) and sell bbq and cold drinks every once in a while and give the profits to charity. If anyone has any info or experience with this that would be super helpful. Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Thanks,
JD

[landarc]

In general, this is frowned upon by most City codes. You would most likely need to meet the same Health Department standards that you would if you were vending for profit. If you are part of a festival/event thing, often the standards are more relaxed jsut because there are a lot of vendors.

In my experience, we have had to pull temporary permits, get inspected and meet all the sanitation and safe food standards that any other 'for profit' vendor has to meet.

[sluvsmore]

I don't know about where you are but in florida i beleive the regulations are relaxed if you request donations instead of pricing things. I see groups all the time here with signs that say recomended donation 5.00 or such.

[Grillman]

Talk to the people in charge of the Charity that you want to help.
They will likely know what your legal requirements will be.
And they will probably help you promote your BBQ; and get you permission
to set up in places that you normally wont be able to.

[Bbq Bubba]

Would be easier to make a donation to a charity foundation.

[Ford]

You can't sell for charity - the charity sells what you cook and all proceeds go to the charity. They get the permits in their name and a rep of the charity is required to be onsite. Permit feed here in MI are way less cost but there are still the same rules for equipment to vend. You can charge the charity a cooking fee but that's between you and them.

[E Mellow]

Check with your local HD and the charity you have in mind. Here in St. Louis if your working with a chairty and all porfits are donated back to them, you can do up to 12 charity coooks a years. For these type of events it is very easy to pass code compared to a regular food establishment. You apply for a one day or weekend event pass. Typically with the one day pass no one comes by to inspect but if your doing a carnival or church picnic there will usually be someone stopping by a few times. Typically they just want the basics: everyone should have gloves on, raw meat kept cold, holding cooked items at the right temp, and some kind of washing station.

[HumboldtSmokeBBQ]

I would ask a volunteer fire department if you could help in their next BBQ. Our department has a big festivle around the blackberry harvest...we do it on a saturday, no one really comes around. Team up with a non profit, only way to go. My boss is into Roller Derby and they have all kinds of vendors and what not. All the permits are obtained by them, the cook brings the meat and prepares it. he gets reimbursed for his costs, and the Roller Derby gets the rest. but, that aint Santa Clara, we are in the sticks I guess.