scholarly journals Understanding Differences in Food Distribution Methods Among Food Pantries in Baltimore City, MD (P04-037-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hope Craig ◽  
Sally Yan ◽  
Bengucan Gunen ◽  
Lindsay Adams ◽  
Shahmir Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Choice Model ◽  
Food Selection ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Distribution Model ◽  
Food Category ◽  
Baltimore City ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Client Choice

Abstract Objectives Food pantries are increasingly being used to address long-term hunger in food insecure households in the United States. The client choice food distribution model is considered best practice, but there is lack of agreement in the literature about what this means. This study aims to explore the nuances of food distribution methods considered client choice at food pantries in Baltimore City, MD. Methods In-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with 22 randomly selected food pantry managers in Baltimore City to explore food distribution and pantry management. Three Food Pantry Environment Checklists were also conducted, approximately 1 month apart, at each pantry to collect further information on pantry operations and inventory. IDIs were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns in how food is distributed and managers’ experiences with the client choice model. Results Most managers reported using a combination of distribution methods, including client choice in which clients shop directly from pantry selves (14/22), assisted bagging in which staff help clients bag items according to client requests (21/22), and pre-packaged distribution in which clients receive standard pre-packed bags (16/22). Though many managers used client choice, only 10 said clients pick up and bag their own items. Most managers said clients are guided by pantry staff and are limited in their food selection based on food category and supply. Several managers reported client choice helps reduce food waste and accommodates clients’ food preferences; however, some had concerns about lack of resources (budget, time, and food supply) for this approach. Several pantries with pre-packaged distribution incorporated client choice by stocking products based on clients’ preferences and allowing clients to swap out items. Conclusions Food limits associated with different food distribution methods may impact the healthiness of products that clients receive. Improving access to healthy foods at pantries requires concerted efforts that address the multiple methods of distributing food. Evidence-based recommendations are needed to strengthen the client choice model and create engaging, dignified spaces that make healthy food choices both feasible and acceptable at pantries. Funding Sources Johns Hopkins Bloomberg American Health Initiative, Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute.

scholarly journals Associations Between Food Pantry Size and Foods Received by Clients in Baltimore City (P04-031-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahmir Ali ◽  
Sally Yan ◽  
Bengucan Gunen ◽  
Lindsay Adams ◽  
Yuxuan Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Food Selection ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Distribution Model ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Client Choice ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Objectives Food pantries act as a supplementary food source for food-insecure households throughout the United States. Recent studies show that healthy food options in food pantries are limited. This may be related to food pantry capacity, suggesting that the size of a food pantry may contribute to the healthfulness of provided foods – an area yet to be studied. Therefore, we aim to examine the relationship between food pantry size and healthfulness of foods received by clients. Methods We categorized the Maryland Food Bank's Baltimore-based partner food pantries (n = 102) as small, medium, or large based on the weight of food they distribute annually. From the pantries who were eligible and interested, we randomly selected 2 small, 2 medium, and 3 large pantries. In terms of food distribution methods, 3 used client-choice and 4 used pre-assembled bags. Food selection data was collected from a total of 74 clients (21 at small, 20 at medium, and 33 at large pantries) between September and October 2018. The Food Assortment Scoring Tool (FAST), a metric used to quantify the nutritional quality of food in pantries, was used to assess the healthfulness of client food bags, with higher scores indicating higher nutritional quality. The Gross Weight Share (GWS) of the food groups described in FAST was calculated to find the proportion of these foods to the total weight of food clients received. Results There was no statistically significant difference in overall average FAST scores among clients of different sized pantries. However, among client choice pantries, clients of small pantries had FAST scores 9.23 points (P = 0.02) higher than clients of medium sized pantries. Small pantries’ clients had higher GWS of fresh fruits and vegetables compared to large (P = 0.002) and medium pantries (P = 0.03), while large pantry clients had higher GWS of sweet and salty snacks than medium pantry clients (P = 0.03). Conclusions Although the average FAST scores across clients from pantries of different sizes did not show statistically significant differences, stratifying FAST scores by food distribution model and examining GWS of key food groups suggest that small food pantry clients receive the largest proportion of healthy foods. These findings suggest the need to prioritize large food pantries in future interventions to help enable clients to receive healthier food products. Funding Sources Johns Hopkins University Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion.

scholarly journals Associations Between Socio-demographic Characteristics of Food Pantry Clients and Foods Received from Baltimore City Food Pantries (P04-030-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay Adams ◽  
Sally Yan ◽  
Shahmir Ali ◽  
Lisa Poirier ◽  
Hope Craig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Baltimore City ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Male Clients ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Client Choice

Abstract Objectives The current economic climate across the United States has resulted in a large number of people being reliant on food pantries for long-term, rather than emergency, food assistance. As a result, there is a growing need to evaluate the nutritional quality of foods obtained by food pantry clients, and the factors influencing their selections. We examine the associations between socio-demographic characteristics of food pantry clients, and the healthfulness of foods they receive from food pantries in Baltimore City, Maryland. Methods We collected data from 7 randomly selected food pantries in Baltimore, Maryland, stratified by size. Clients’ socio-demographic information was obtained through interviewer-administered questionnaires (n = 74). Healthfulness of foods clients received from the pantry was assessed by sorting, weighing, and scoring foods by food group using the Food Assortment Scoring Tool (FAST), with higher scores indicating higher nutritional quality. Results The average age of clients sampled was 56.4 + 14.5, with 55.4% females and 44.6% males. As for employment status, 36.5% clients are disabled, 27.0% are retired, and 17.5% are employed. Thirty five % reported visiting a pantry once a month, 13.5% twice a month, and 13.5% visited once a week or more. When looking at other forms of food assistance, 57.3% of clients reported using SNAP and 6.6% WIC. When looking at food distribution methods, 44.6% (n = 32) of clients utilized a client choice pantry. Though the observed relationships are not statistically significant, male clients at client choice pantries had higher mean FAST scores (63.5 + 8.2) than women (60.2 + 7.5) (P = 0.2). FAST scores of white/Caucasian clients were also higher (68.6 + 6.7) than black/African American clients (60.7 + 7.9) (P = 0.1). Conclusions We found no significant sociodemographic factors associated with healthiness of foods obtained by pantry clients in Baltimore. This implies that pantry-level environmental and policy interventions may be more successful than efforts to target specific individuals. Funding Sources Johns Hopkins University Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion.

scholarly journals Client Choice Distribution Model Is Associated with Less Leftover Food in Urban Food Pantries

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 266-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianna Pruden ◽  
Lisa Poirier ◽  
Bengucan Gunen ◽  
Reuben Park ◽  
Sarah Hinman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Distribution Model ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Client Choice ◽  
Scoring Tool

Abstract Objectives Assessing client-level food waste is a priority for hunger relief organizations to effectively address food insecurity. Our objectives were: 1) to measure the amount of, and reasons for leftover food at the household level after receiving food from urban food pantries; 2) to assess differences in the amount of leftover food associated with different food pantry distribution models. Methods This was a prospective, observational study. Food-pantry clients (n = 53) were surveyed from four food pantries in Baltimore, MD. 28 of those clients were followed-up with 2 weeks later. Half of the follow-up sample used a client-choice food pantry in which clients select their own food, while the other half received pre-packed bags. At baseline, we recorded the brand, type, and weight of each product in client bags, and grouped them into Food Assortment Scoring Tool (FAST) categories. FAST scores were calculated for each bag by multiplying each category's gross weight share by a healthfulness parameter and summing the categories. At follow-up, clients estimated the percentage of each product that was consumed by their household, and reported what happened to the unused portion, and why it was unused. Results The average client choice bag weighed 27.8 ± 14.8 lbs, whereas the average pre-packed bag weighed 18.3 ± 5.3 lbs. Clients from client-choice food pantries had 22.6% of their bag leftover at follow-up; clients from traditional pantries had 34.1% of their bag leftover (P = .0375). At baseline, FAST scores were higher among traditional bags (70.3 ± 5.2) compared to client choice bags (63.5 ± 7.3) (P = .007). FAST scores of foods client-choice visitors used by follow-up was 66.7 ± 7.8, higher than scores of their baseline food selections (P = .014), suggesting use of healthy foods first. The greatest proportion of leftover food was beverages. The smallest proportion of leftover food was processed fruits and vegetables. The most common reason for not using an item was “Plan to use later” (80% of leftover items). Conclusions Food pantries distributing foods via a prepackaged bag model should consider switching to a client choice method to reduce leftover food, which may eventually be wasted. Further research should expand on this association using larger sample sizes and follow-up periods >2 weeks. Funding Sources Funded by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative Evidence Generation Awards.

scholarly journals Associations between Food Pantry Size and Distribution Method and Healthfulness of Foods Received by Clients in Baltimore City Food Pantries

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6979
Author(s):  
Yuxuan Gu ◽  
Shahmir H. Ali ◽  
Sally Yan ◽  
Bengucan Gunen ◽  
Reuben Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Distribution Method ◽  
Baltimore City ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Client Choice ◽  
Rigorous Research ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Multi Level

This study aimed to evaluate the association of the overall nutritional quality and the weight share of specific types of foods received by food pantry clients with food pantry size and distribution method. Data on healthy food weights using the gross weight share (GWS) of select foods and the validated Food Assortment Score Tool (FAST) were collected from 75 food pantry clients in Baltimore, Maryland. The average FAST score across the study population was 63.0 (SD: 10.4). Overall, no statistically significant differences in average FAST scores by pantry size and distribution method were found. However, among client-choice pantries, clients of small pantries had higher scores (p < 0.05) while among medium pantries, clients of traditional pantries had higher scores (p < 0.01). Subgroup analysis of GWS was stratified by pantry size and distribution methods. Findings suggested multi-level, multi-component interventions combining environmental strategies are needed to enhance the healthfulness of foods received by clients. Our analysis provided data to consider further refinements of pantry interventions and planning of more rigorous research on factors influencing the effectiveness of pantry interventions.

scholarly journals Pilot testing an intervention to educate and promote nutritious choices at food pantries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah L. McKee ◽  
Eminet Abebe Gurganus ◽  
Abiodun T. Atoloye ◽  
Ran Xu ◽  
Katie Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Food System ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Comparison Study ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Client Choice ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Aim This study aimed to assess the impact of the Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) system on client food selections at a food pantry. Subject and methods In a pre–post comparison study design, a client-choice food pantry implemented SWAP by reorganizing its inventory to promote healthy options. Each product was ranked as “choose often” (green), “sometimes” (yellow), or “rarely” (red) based on saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. Signage was added to indicate each item’s SWAP rank and healthier foods were placed at eye level. Client food baskets were assessed at time 1 (n = 121) and time 2 (n = 101). The proportions of green and red foods selected were compared using regression analyses. Results The regression analyses showed that the proportion of green foods selected by clients increased by 11% (p < 0.001) and the proportion of red foods selected decreased by 7% (p < 0.001) after SWAP was implemented (n = 222). Conclusions SWAP has the potential to positively shift client choices among the items available in a food pantry setting. SWAP is one component of a suite of changes to the charitable food system that have the potential to alleviate food insecurity, improve diet quality, and assist clients in managing diet-related diseases.

scholarly journals Understanding the Impact of Peer Education on Self-Efficacy and Food Literacy in Food Insecure Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1303-1303
Author(s):  
Gretchen George ◽  
Melanie Gerdes
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Food Selection ◽  
Food Preparation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Food Literacy ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Hands On ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives Food insecurity is prevalent on college campuses. Many campuses have food assistance programs (e.g., food pantries, cooking classes, government support) to provide resources and education but research has identified that knowledge related healthy food selection, meal planning, food budgeting, and safe food preparation skills are suboptimal. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the most effective nutrition education model to increase self-efficacy, skill, knowledge, and food choice awareness in the food insecure college student. Methods Eligible university students (N = 54) were recruited and randomized to a three-arm four-week intervention. All participants received weekly food pantry items and pilot nutrition education curriculum through different application models; food demonstration and handout (FD, n = 20), cooking class and handout (CC, n = 14), or handout only (H, n = 20). The weekly one-hour CC was hands-on with tasting at the end. The weekly 20-minute FD was observation only with tasting at the end. Participants completed a validated pre-post survey. Results Using MANOVA, statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05) pre-post changes were identified in all scores (food selection planning, food preparation, food safety storage). The overall food skills score (OFSS), a combined measure, indicated a statistically significant interaction effect between study arms on the combined dependent variable, F(2, 51) = 5.37, P = 0.008, Wilks’ Λ = 0.826, partial n2 = 0.174. A follow-up univariate two-way analysis using Tukey pairwise comparisons identified non-significant pre-post mean differences for OFSS scores between CC (+44.29), FD (+16.05), and H (+20.30). Conclusions Nutrition education through a CC, FD, and H model improves knowledge, skill, and self-efficacy in food insecure students. CC have the largest pre-post improvements but tended to have more attrition. Universities with food pantries should include nutrition education ideally with a hands-on or observation component including tasting of new recipes and foods mirroring food pantry offerings. Campuses can use concise 4-week curriculum to maximize learning and self-efficacy while considering resources (staff, space, materials). Funding Sources California State University Small-Scale Faculty Research Grants 2019-2020 15 K.

The development and use of an assessment tool to capture changes in the food pantry nutrition environment and system of food distribution

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 962-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lacey A McCormack ◽  
Heather A Eicher-Miller ◽  
Dan T Remley ◽  
Lindsay A Moore ◽  
Suzanne R Stluka
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Meaningful Change ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Nutrition Environment ◽  
Client Choice

The MyChoice Scorecard assesses the food pantry environment, including client-choice, and can be used by community professionals to document and facilitate meaningful change in pantries.

scholarly journals Choice Food Pantries in the Deep South: A Novel Approach to Addressing Food Insecurity in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 773-773
Author(s):  
David Buys ◽  
Masey Smith ◽  
Erin King
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Choice Model ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Deep South ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Emergency Food Assistance

Abstract Older adults in the deep south are living with high food insecurity rates; this is exacerbated by challenges with rural-living, like transportation limitations and no grocery stores. To address this, we must increase emergency food assistance offerings and adopt best practices for food pantries including choice food pantry approaches, which empowers clients with some autonomy in choosing the foods they receive as part of their pantry distribution. Coalitions in eight income-limited, aging, rural Mississippi Delta counties received support from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Grant to enhance the food-related infrastructure in their communities through technical assistance and economic investments. A detailed process evaluation was conducted on this effort. Each coalition adopted food pantry-related policies like adding new food pantries and adapting their existing food pantries with the choice model. Both aging volunteers and clients indicated positive outcomes from the process of adding pantries and adapting existing ones.

scholarly journals Associations between client choice in food pantries and client food security status

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Iyeghe Lilian Uchechi
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Type ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
Client Choice ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Choice Satisfaction ◽  
The Relationship

This study determined the relationship between client choice and client food security status, and how the relationship was affected by household type. Data was obtained from the Voices for Food Project. Among the various goals for that project, was the goal of guiding pantries to transition from a traditional food distribution system to a client-choice system where clients could select the kinds of foods they preferred. The results showed that pantry client choice satisfaction was significantly associated with greater food security status (X2 (1, N = 685) = 8.81, p = .003). There were no differences between household type and choice satisfaction (X2 (1, N = 685) = 0.81, p = .366 However, differences existed between household type and food security status (X2 (1, N = 685) = 22.56, p [less than] .001), the households with children were less likely to be food secure. In predicting food security by client choice satisfaction, being satisfied and being older resulted in significantly higher odds for food security (choice satisfaction OR: 3.20; 95 [percent] CI: 1.54, 7.54, age OR: 1.02; 95 [percent] CI: 1.01, 1.04). Whereas, having children in a household yielded lesser odds for food security (households having children OR: 0.52; 95 [percent] CI: 0.34, 0.81). The sex of householder did not play a role in predicting household food security based on choice satisfaction (sex OR: 1.01; 95 [percent] CI: 0.69,1.49). Provision of client choice in food pantries could improve client food security status and could be added support to governmental food assistance programs targeted at addressing food insecurity in the nation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document