How Food Pantry Accessibility Fights Hunger

September is Hunger Action Month, a time to raise awareness about the prevalence and reality of hunger in America. I firmly believe that the way we think about hunger is the primary obstacle to solving it, so this month I am focusing on challenging the assumptions we’ve been conditioned to accept, and offer new tools for taking those ideas out into the world.

Recently, I had the opportunity to tour a food pantry I’d never been to before. Walking up to the building, I found myself worrying about how I would find it. I’d been given the building address, but no further directions. I assumed I’d have to make my way through a labyrinth of corridors and ask for help to get to my meeting on time. Stepping through the front door, I was pleasantly surprised to see pantry shelves directly ahead of me.

Upon reflection, I realized that I had imagined this pantry would be in the basement. My default assumption is that food pantries are in spaces that no one else wants. Accustomed to working with organizations looking to squeeze their services in wherever they can rather than where is easiest for shoppers, I struggle to envision a pantry anywhere else but a church basement.

Food pantries, as underfunded and underappreciated programs, have long been relegated to areas where they won’t get in anyone else’s way. Although I absolutely recognize that limited budgets demand the use of free space wherever available, this still presents real challenges for making food services accessible to everyone.

The physical placement and design of food pantries has a significant influence on how accessible they are for the people who need their services the most.  

When pantries are in spaces no one else wants, it’s often because those spaces are hard to access or navigate, like the basement I assumed I was looking for.

People with disabilities already face extra barriers to food security, including discrimination in employment and healthcare, and finding safe and accessible housing. Many of my previous food pantry clients have shared with me the inadequacy of their disability benefits (when they were able to get them), which meant emergency food assistance programs were often their only food resource.  But this requires finding a pantry that can accommodate their individual needs.

Households with a member with a disability experience higher hunger rates than households without. Even with the protection of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), many services and venues are not easily accessible to everyone, like food pantries in basements, which is why too many people continue to experience hunger.

Food pantries often require clients to wait in long lines, walk long winding hallways and staircases or ride in rickety elevators, and then carry a heavy selection of food home. These are all barriers for many people, and not just individuals with disabilities.

The systems that food pantries use to accommodate their awkward locations in many cases have made it harder for everyone to access. By focusing on how we can increase accessibility for people with the greatest barriers, we reduce obstacles to food security for everyone.

How we can make food pantries more physically accessible:

–Manage the wait in line. As well as being physically demanding, waiting in a long pantry line often contributes to tension and stress as people worry about time and whether there’s enough food. Long lines are a significant challenge for many pantries, but there are several options for changing the system.

I’ve seen some pantries switch to handing out numbers to clients at an assigned time before opening so that people don’t have to physically wait in line. This model does require a staff member or volunteer to support and supervise before the pantry opens, which can be hard.

Also consider where people line up. Standing in line for extended periods of time can be hard on anyone, and act as a deterrent for those with physical limitations. Is the space covered to protect against sun and rain? Is there anywhere for people to sit? Can shoppers save their spot with a bag or box while they sit in their car? This practice risks accusations of cutting, but can be the most practical, especially on bad weather days where no one should be standing outside.

–Shopping the pantry. How easy is it to get to and move around in the space? Pantries don’t need to be big, but they do need to be able to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices, and several people at once for those who need support. One of my first food pantries was up on a high school auditorium stage, which required shoppers to walk up a long winding corridor, weave their way across the stage, and then walk down a short flight of stairs with their full box of food. Retrospectively, this was a terribly inaccessible setup.

Wheelchair accessibility often receives the most attention because it is a highly visible aid, but it’s important to remember the diversity of needs for people experiencing hunger. Is there room for shoppers to be accompanied by a caregiver or support person? Do volunteers know how to behave around a service animal? Is the space well-lit, ventilated, and calm and quiet? Are there volunteers who know American Sign Language (ASL)? I am regularly surprised at how many volunteers know ASL, and how often we needed them.

–How do shoppers collect their food? If an individual can’t carry a basket or push a shopping cart, is there help available? Are volunteers trained to offer appropriate and respectful support in these circumstances? Are there people to help get their food to the car, or to bring the shopping cart back in?

I’ve seen many pantries offer prepacked boxes or menus for people who cannot access the full pantry, (like my model on the auditorium stage) and while offering alternative systems is important, we need to be careful in how they are administered. How do shoppers find out about these options? Too often, these kinds of options are only offered to people with visible disabilities. Does everyone still have access to the full range of foods? I recommend advertising and making alternative access options available to everyone, no questions asked. Boxes can potentially be packed at the beginning of distribution to simplify the process.

–Is the food accessible? Accessible pantries offer a diversity of selections. While we should absolutely continue to increase the supply of fresh produce and whole foods, not everyone can use these. Prepared and instant foods are valuable for people who are busy or have physical limitations that influence their ability to prepare food. Can shoppers make their own food choices, and is there flexibility? Rigid limits may mean people have to visit more often to stay nourished. If making the trip to the food pantry is already difficult, this only adds to the obstacles they face.

Do food options accommodate for special diets or allergens? There’s increasing energy in the industry for signage identifying these foods, but it does require training teams on the specifics, and conversations with clientele to learn the specific needs of your community.

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

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