Laying out food pantries like grocery stores gives choice and can lead to healthy habits

Lack of transportation can make centralized food pantries inaccessible to those who need the help. So Crossroads Community Services in North Texas partners with more than 100 community groups, including churches, public housing developments, and community centers, to make monthly deliveries to local sites. Those local partners are trusted points of contact to enroll people in the program and get them their food packages. Though it's not as effective as access to quality, affordable grocery stores, this community distribution partner model has decreased food insecurity and improved health in the community.

With grocery stores at capacity with delivery services, and people not wanting to leave their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, local farms like Honey Brook Organic Farm are seeing huge increases in business. The New Jersey farm had already started shifting from a CSA model to delivery, so they used that infrastructure to easily pivot. Collaboration with other local farms has been key, so beyond their produce, they’re partnering with their network to deliver meat, eggs, and even prepared meals from local restaurants.

Pittsburgh-based nonprofit 412 Food Rescue is saving food from landfills and feeding those in need by getting produce, with minor bruises or almost past sell-by dates, into the hands of food insecure people. The organization, which partners with government housing authorities and other sites like daycares, uses its Food Rescue Hero app to connect volunteer drivers with grocery stores and restaurants who have excess food to donate.

Organizations across Wisconsin work in tandem to combat widespread hunger using a combination of fundraising, nonprofit supply, and low cost food delivery services. While organizations use different methods to accomplish their mission, they all work together to lower the rate of hunger in Wisconsin.

Hunger is a hidden crisis in the U.S., and in places like Rio Arriba County, New Mexico - a food desert and poverty-stricken community - a few dedicated food pantries are all that stands between thousands of people and going hungry. A longstanding relationship with Farmers Markets authorized to use SNAP benefits has also allowed farmers to donate overstocked produce to those in need - though the greater battle against the poverty that causes hunger is yet to be won.

The Monarch Food Pantry and The Huddle help combat food insecurity by ensuring college students have consistent access to food. About 1,100 to 1,900 people come to the pantry each month, and it’s available 24/7 to anyone with a university ID.

FoodCommune aims to reduce food waste by rescuing food before it ends up in landfills, redistributing about 6,000 pounds of food per week. FoodCommune gathers food from farmer’s markets, grocery stores, restaurants and other sources, redistributing enough to feed about 300 people each week.

Through volunteers and partnerships with other local organizations, the Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Center distributes a month’s worth of food to families in need for free, as a large portion of the population is undocumented, unemployed, or otherwise ineligible for government assistance. The Center also provides services such as English language classes, a clothes closet, a diaper bank and assistance getting a driver’s license.

The mobile food distribution program by the Mind of Christ Ministries and Bethune-Cookman University has been feeding families since 2013. The program addresses local food insecurity while also providing university students with a meaningful way to give back to the community and earn required volunteer hours. The program estimates it reaches more than 200,000 people each year.

The Westside Food Bank has been distributing food to community members in need across the city since 1981. Today, they provide nutritious food and fresh produce to 153,000 people facing food insecurity.