ePantry | The River Food Pantry

ePantry

ePantry: Food Pantry Online Ordering System

The River is thrilled to offer ePantry, an online food pantry ordering system! The ePantry service aims to provide greater access to foods that satisfy dietary restrictions and/or culturally responsive needs. Once a month, households have the option to order their groceries online. Based on household size, families select from a variety of healthy and nutritious foods, including fresh produce, meat, dairy, and options that support different diets, such as vegetarian, gluten-free, and low-sodium items. 

Households residing in Dane County may register for ePantry using the “Register for ePantry Pickup” button below.

Designated pick-up times are usually available Tuesday through Thursday during the third week of the month.

ePantry orders can be placed from the second Friday of the month at 5:00 PM to the following Tuesday at 5:00 PM OR until capacity has been reached.

 


 

How to Order: Tutorial Videos
In case you have questions, we have created short informational videos which include step-by-step instructions on how to place your order, and what to do when you encounter error messages:

 

How to order ePantry for PICKUP

 

To qualify for ePantry, you must:

  • Live in Dane County.
  • Meet TEFAP eligibility and income guidelines.
  • Be registered as a client of The River. 
  • Be registered with the ePantry program.
    • New or existing clients of The River may register using the ePantry Pickup Registration Form.
    • For new clients, this will also register your household for Drive-Thru Groceries.
    • Clients must renew their ePantry registration once a year. 

Visit the ePantry PICKUP Registration Form to sign up or renew your registration!

If you have any questions, please contact epantry@riverfoodpantry.org.

After you are signed up, click the “Place Online Order” button above to place an order.

After submitting your order, you will receive an automated confirmation email within a few minutes. This email will include your pickup date/time and the contents of your order. It will also include directions for how and where to pick up your order. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your order has not been received.

You can order from ePantry once per month (i.e. June, July, August, etc.). You will use the same “Place Online Order” button each time you order. The form can also be accessed here. 

If you have any questions, please contact epantry@riverfoodpantry.org.

  • Only one (1) ePantry order is allowed per household per calendar month.
  • During the week of your ePantry pickup, you cannot receive additional groceries through The River’s standard Drive-Thru distribution.

If you have any questions, please contact epantry@riverfoodpantry.org.

We realize that things come up and that you may need to cancel your order as a result. If you need to cancel an ePantry order, you will still be able to use Drive-Thru Groceries for your weekly grocery visit. Please also review our ePantry cancellation policy below.

  • If you need to cancel or reschedule an order, you must notify the ePantry Coordinator at least 2 calendar days prior to your pickup date.
    • For example, if your pickup date is Wednesday, you must notify the ePantry Coordinator by Monday at the latest if you must cancel.
    • Failure to do so will result in your first late cancellation/no-show and a suspension from ePantry for the next calendar month.
  • A second late cancellation/no-show within 1 year will result in a permanent suspension from the ePantry program.
  • Suspensions from ePantry will not impact access to other services provided by The River, such as drive-thru groceries or meals.
  • Cancellations due to operational closures by The River (such as inclement weather) will not count against clients.
  • Individual extenuating circumstances may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

This cancellation policy is in place because it takes a substantial amount of time for our staff and volunteers to process, pack and unpack canceled orders. Additionally, as we must limit the total number of orders each week, and ePantry is available one week per month, each cancellation takes away the opportunity for another household to order through ePantry that month.

If you have questions, please contact our ePantry Coordinator at epantry@riverfoodpantry.org or (608) 665-0232.

2026 ePantry Calendar

Ordering for ePantry Opens at 5 p.m. on: Distribution for ePantry occurs the week of:
Friday, February 13 Tuesday, February 17
Friday, March 13 Tuesday, March 17
Friday, April 10 Tuesday, April 14
Friday, May 8 Tuesday, May 12
Friday, June 12 Monday, June 15
Friday, July 10 Tuesday, July 14
Friday, August 14 Tuesday, August 18
Friday, September 11 Tuesday, September 15
Friday, October 9 Tuesday, October 13
Friday, November 13 Tuesday, November 17
Friday, December 11 Tuesday, December 15

ePantry FAQs

How do I know if ePantry is right for me?

The ePantry program is open to all residents of Dane County. The primary goal of ePantry is to expand access to foods that satisfy dietary restrictions (for example, gluten-free, low-sodium, vegetarian, and other such options) or foods that are culturally responsive. About 90-95% of the foods offered through the program are selected to help clients who have these more specialized dietary needs. If this does not apply to you or a member of your household, you may find that the offerings from our Drive-Thru Groceries program better satisfy your household’s needs. 

How can I sign up or renew my registration?

Visit the ePantry PICKUP Registration Form to sign up or renew your registration!

When can I place an order?

You may place orders online from the second Friday of the month at 5:00pm and the following Tuesday at 5:00pm for pickup during ePantry distribution hours. Ordering may close earlier if pickup slot capacity is reached. 

How many orders can I place?

Only one (1) ePantry order is allowed per household per month. This takes the place of one of your visits to The River.

If you place and receive an ePantry order for the week, Drive-Thru Groceries are not available to you for that week.

For example, if you receive an ePantry order this week (Tuesday–Thursday), you cannot receive Drive-Thru Groceries until next Tuesday.

Are there any limits on what I can order?

 Yes, each household is subject to a total item limit per order, based on household size:

  • Household of 1–2: 25 items
  • Household of 3–4: 35 items
  • Household of 5–6: 45 items
  • Household of 7+: 50 items

These limits apply to all grocery items, including shelf-stable, refrigerated and frozen foods, as well as certain household goods such as hygiene or cleaning products. Items subject to the limits will be marked with *asterisks* around the item name on the order form.

Certain non-grocery items, such as baby items, menstrual products, and shelf-stable or holiday meal items, do not count toward household limits. 

Additionally, individual items are subject to quantity limits to ensure item availability.

When and where is pick-up?

ePantry order pick-ups occur outside of The River’s main distribution hours for Drive-Thru Groceries. Typically, pick-ups are available during the third week of the month on Tuesday from 4–6pm, Wednesday from 9–11am, or Thursday from 2-4pm. 

Orders can be picked up in the drive-thru area of our building at 3301 Packers Ave. Please follow the signs for “Food Pantry Traffic” to the drive-thru area of the building, proceeding past the blue booth at the north end of the parking lot to the double garage doors, where you will see the ePantry Pickup sign. Please ring the doorbell attached to the sign to alert us that you have arrived, and someone will be out to assist you. If you miss your scheduled ePantry pick-up without giving us 2 calendar days advance notice, we may not be able to fulfill your order. 

Clients who place ePantry orders through the Madison Senior Center will be able to pick up at the Madison Senior Center at 330 W. Mifflin St. from 9:30-11am on the third Friday of each month 

 

How do I cancel or change my order?

Please contact (608) 665-0232 or epantry@riverfoodpantry.org at least 2 calendar days before your scheduled pick-up or delivery to make cancellations. We do not typically make changes once an order is submitted, so please make sure to review your order before submitting. 

What if I can no longer make my confirmed pick-up time? Can I cancel?

Please call (608) 665-0232 and email epantry@riverfoodpantry.org as soon as you know that you won’t be able to make your time. We may be able to reschedule your pickup to a different ePantry distribution time (Tuesday from 4–6pm, Wednesday from 9–11am, or Thursday from 2–4pm). However, this is not guaranteed. Additionally, we cannot fulfill pick-up orders during The River’s distribution hours for Drive-Thru Groceries. 

Please also review the late cancellation and no-show policy below. 

  • If you need to cancel or reschedule an order, you must notify the ePantry Coordinator at least 2 calendar days prior to your pickup date.  
  • For example, if your pickup date is Wednesday, you must notify the ePantry Coordinator by Monday at the latest if you must cancel.  
  • Failure to do so will result in your first late cancellation/no-show and a suspension from ePantry for the next calendar month.  
  • A second late cancellation/no-show within 1 year will result in a permanent suspension from the ePantry program.  
  • Suspensions from ePantry will not impact access to other services provided by The River, such as drive-thru groceries or meals.  
  • Cancellations due to operational closures by The River (such as inclement weather) will not count against clients.  
  • Individual extenuating circumstances may be considered on a case-by-case basis.  
  • Delivery orders are subject to the River Delivers policy for cancellations and missed deliveries, as outlined in the River Delivers Pledge. 

This cancellation policy is in place because it takes a substantial amount of time for our staff and volunteers to process, pack and unpack canceled orders. Additionally, as we must limit the total number of orders each week, and ePantry is available one week per month, each cancellation takes away the opportunity for another household to order through ePantry that month. 

What if I need something that isn’t on the order form?

Please add any items in the “Additional Comments” field at the bottom of the order form. We will do our best to accommodate. However, please note that these special requests are not guaranteed. 

You may find it helpful to review the following examples. These lists are not exhaustive. 

Examples of special requests that we may be able to fulfill, subject to item availability: Coffee, pet food, menstrual products, gluten-free boxes, specific versions of on-menu items (such as plant milks, diaper sizes, baby formula, etc.). 

Examples of special requests that we cannot fulfill: assorted refrigerated or freezer bags (available through Drive-Thru Groceries or River Delivers), FAM meals (available regularly with Drive-Thru Groceries, but with ePantry only during end-of-year holidays), extra quantities of on-menu items. 

I am homebound and unable to visit the pantry. Can I have my ePantry order delivered?

As of June 2026, ePantry orders are no longer available for delivery. Clients who are homebound and meet other requirements may register for River Delivers instead. To learn more, please click here.

ePantry Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers are needed to help pack boxes of custom orders, stock shelves and assist with distribution to clients. Please sign up to volunteer with ePantry today.

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