What is a Trauma-Informed Food Pantry?

No one wants to go to a food pantry. No matter how hard we work to make it better, waiting in line to be given whatever food is available does not feel good for anyone. Many people choose to go hungry rather than seek assistance, fearful of how they might be treated when they’re there. Encountering pity, condescension, or disrespect will deter people from returning. And even if they have a bad experience at only one food pantry, it may be incredibly heard not to harbor fears or reactions about how they may be treated at any food pantry.

 If we’re committed to ending hunger in our community, it is essential that we consider the trauma our clients may be carrying with them when they walk through our doors.

Trauma-informed nutrition recognizes that people seeking emergency food assistance often come to us with trauma. Trauma is an emotional response from a stressful event, and it is important for anti-hunger advocates to recognize that food insecurity can be incredibly traumatic.

We live in a world where people are regularly shamed for their food choices, their eating habits, and their physical outcomes. Few Americans are trauma-free when it comes to food. To create the most welcoming food pantry possible, my pantry has developed policies that recognizes how everything we do has an impact on both the nutritional and emotional health of the people who use our resources.  

How to start building a trauma-informed food pantry

1. Prioritize treating everyone with respect.

My food pantry recently had the longest line we’ve ever seen, and a client spent nearly ten minutes yelling at me about her concerns that people were cutting in front of her. It would have been easier (and much preferred) if I had told her the situation was resolved and walked away. Instead, I recognized that waiting in that long line probably left her and everyone else feeling powerless and scared about getting their needs met, and spent the time to acknowledge her fears by listening. Even when people are rude or disrespectful towards us, my pantry team works hard to respond with compassion because we recognize that our clients’ behavior is often driven by fear.

2. Everyone needs to eat

I often hear stories about other food pantries where clients have been turned away because they lack the proper documentation, were told they “Should be grateful for what they got,” or just treated rudely by a volunteer. All the people who have had these experiences are reluctant to try again, and don’t do so unless it’s absolutely necessary. Along with prioritizing respect, we ensure everyone is welcomed with dignity, and no one is ever turned away or shamed for receiving food.

3. Be flexible and compassionate

It’s important that food pantries have consistent policies to ensure that they are equitably implemented, but it’s also important to recognize our clients’ different needs. There’s a certain amount of information we’re required to get from our shoppers to give them food, but when I have a survivor of domestic violence fearful of sharing even her name, we find ways to make that work. When we have a client who has already shopped for their monthly staples but they’ve taken in extra household members and they absolutely can’t make it until next month, we help them out. When a carload of recent immigrants pulls up right after we have closed for the day, we take care of them. Even though this is exhausting work, it is important that we not lose sight of the need for compassion and how we may need to adapt to circumstances.

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These are simple steps, but they can be hard to implement in the moment when faced with stress, anger, and fear. Remembering that food pantry clients are rarely only worried about food and respecting the emotions and attitudes that may accompany them is the first step towards building a trauma-informed food pantry.

The opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.

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