Lebanon County Christian Ministries (LCCM)
Public Health Challenge
Lebanon County Christian Ministries (LCCM), a faith-based organization that provides food, shelter, clothing, and support for personal sustainability, has been working with the REACH program since 2022. REACH has helped LCCM enhance its vision to become more expansive and inclusive within its food programs: The Noon Meal Program that provides free hot food daily, a food pantry opens daily for walk-ins and appointments, and The Emergency Food Assistance Program that distributes food the first four Wednesdays of every month.
At a Glance
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, food insecurity is a lack of access to sufficient, nutritious, and safe foods that meet the needs for an active and healthy life (Department of Agriculture-Economic Research Service, 2022). Countless causes for food insecurity exist, including unemployment or low income, lack of access to healthcare, systemic racism, racial discrimination, poverty, and chronic health conditions (Feeding America, 2023b). In Pennsylvania, the number of people facing food insecurity was 1.54 million in 2021 (Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 2023). The most recent data from Feeding America reflects that 13,750 people in Lebanon County live with food insecurity (Feeding America, 2023a).
LCCM programs are based on need rather than income. Through interviews, LCCM determines clients’ food needs and other services LCCM can help coordinate. Food distribution includes well-balanced and nutritional foods based on the household size. LCCM provides sweet treats for special occasions and toiletries such as toilet tissue, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and shampoo are provided to their clients.
In 2022, LCCM chose to shift its food pantry to a client choice model that allows clients to choose the products they receive. With the help of LCCM’s supportive staff and volunteers and the REACH team that collaborated in creative and versatile ways, LCCM has completed the shift to better support their clients and supply healthier inventory of foods with economic and environmental benefits.
Approach
Together, the REACH team’s program coordinator/nutritionist and LCCM’s nutrition program coordinator transitioned the pantry to client choice with a program plan. The plan included a pantry layout and model redesign based on the pantry size, storage space, and environmental resources that would be on display. The look of the pantry became that of a small grocery store with products arranged on shelves and in upright coolers from which clients can make choices. Hours of operation and quantities of food that could be chosen based on family size also changed. The partners used the Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) method to create the pantry’s guide for food quality. LCCM used funding from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s Healthy Pantry Initiative grant for new shelving units, bushel baskets, and signage that enhances the look of abundance and grocery-store aesthetics.
Implementation included training and educational materials for staff and volunteers. Penn State REACH provided a slide presentation that showcased the benefits of the transition for all stakeholders, changes in structure and schedule, and how LCCM can better get to know the populations they serve. To better serve the large Hispanic and Latino population of Lebanon County, LCCM will include English and Spanish signage in the pantry and staff bilingual volunteers.
Work with the choice pantry also impacted LCCM’s other programs. Within the Noon Meal program, there is more meaningful interaction between staff, volunteers, and clients. The Noon Meal Coordinator is learning about clients who use the program and the foods they enjoy. Soliciting feedback has helped staff better prepare nutritious and culturally relevant meals in a new layout, a restaurant style where volunteers visit tables to refill beverages and chat. They have also added a four-ingredient recipe wall where recipe cards are available to take.
Results
The client choice food pantry model is a critical part of a community’s efforts to end hunger.
A flexible structure allows the pantry to accept an array of products rather than the same limited items. LCCM has brought a sense of dignity and control to clients as they choose their own food and tailor the resources they receive to their own unique situation. At the same time, LCCM has decreased waste that occurs when people are given food they do not want, eliminated food items considered non-nutrient dense and processed, reduced prep work for distribution, and saved money they can allocate to other needs. With a greater sense of dignity and understanding, LCCM continues to help people’s overall sense of wellness and feeling of support by caring staff and volunteers.
References
Feeding America. (2023a). Hunger & Poverty in the United States. https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2020/overall/pennsylvania/county/lebanon
Feeding America. (2023b). What is Food Insecurity? https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/food-insecurity
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. (2023). About Food Insecurity in Pennsylvania. https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Food_Security/Pages/About-Food-Insecurity.aspx
US Department of Agriculture-Economic Research Service. (2022). Global Food Insecurity Grows in 2022 Amid Backdrop of Higher Prices, Black Sea Conflict. https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2022/november/global-food-insecurity-grows-in-2022-amid-backdrop-of-higher-prices-black-sea-conflict/
