Mary thanks God for her local food pantries, especially as inflation restricts her family’s already limited income.
“If it wasn’t for that, I get $ 100 to spend on food every month from disability (benefits),” said Mary, an Alma resident who preferred not to give her last name. “Between me and my husband, we only make $ 2,200 dollars a month and our bills are $ 1,800, so go figure.”
Like many families whose food choices are dictated by factors such as income, health conditions and transportation access, Mary often faces constraints outside of her control. However, some of this burden was lifted as she shopped at the Western Arkansas Community / Child Development Food Pantry April 9 distribution.
Unlike the other pantries where every person receives the same box of food, Mary was able to hand-select the food she needed as she followed the line outside the Crawford County District Court in Van Buren.
“It’s awesome that you can get a choice because I waste a lot of stuff because it’s stuff that we don’t eat,” Mary said. “… We’re not picky at all. I’ve got one (family member) that’s gluten-free, so that’s hard on her … It’s a lot easier just to walk through here and pick what you want. ”
A shopping-style experience
Community members from across Crawford County browsed through pallets of frozen dinners, canned soups, juice and other items under the court building’s covered walkway.
LaToya Shepherd, a case manager and outreach coordinator for Western Arkansas Community / Child Development, said the Western Arkansas Community / Child Development Food Pantry emphasizes the importance of a client’s choice.
“It’s not always possible, sometimes we have to pre-package, but as much as we can, it’s important,” Shepherd said. “It gives people a sense of dignity. Their shopping experience is more tailored to what their family needs. ”
Those who grocery shop for their household recognize the importance of options. A family member might have a food allergy, a dietary restriction or simply preferences for what they like to eat. Having choices also reduces food waste.
“Also, we cut out a lot of waste because if you give people things that they may not like or that they are allergic to, sometimes it’s wasted, and we’d rather not waste it,” Shepherd said. “We’d rather give the families what they want or what they need.”
The pantry operates through a partnership between Western Arkansas Community / Child Development, the Crawford County Adult Education Center and the Crawford County District Court, along with support as a partner of the River Valley Regional Food Bank.
Malinda McSpadden with the Western Arkansas Community / Child Development Food Pantry looks to create opportunities for food-insecure households to have autonomy.
“We’re really excited about them choosing what they want instead of us deciding for them,” McSpadden told the Times Record in early April.
Allowing people to express their preferences and opinions about the food they eat does more than reduce food waste. It embodies respect for all households.
Shepherd said the shopping-style pantry event allows families to make decisions about culturally sensitive foods.
“It’s actually culturally sensitive because some cultures and families don’t eat certain things, and they value other items… we want to be culturally sensitive and allow that to happen,” Shepherd said.
Customization and care
At St. Barthomelew’s Episcopal Church in Fort Smith, Maranda Leeper, director of the church’s food pantry, has options down to a science.
Each household receives a family bag that Leeper fills with staples like spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, jelly, rice and beans.
Leeper then tailors the second bag to the family based on the number of adults and children in the household along with information from the intake form that lists preferences and dietary restrictions.
“If they have kids, I’ll put in stuff like ravioli and SpaghettiOs,” Leeper said. “I may throw in an extra peanut butter depending on how many kids they have.”
She added that she always checks for allergies, especially with kids, even when making treats like candy-filled Easter eggs.
Leeper researches different foods for people who cannot eat gluten, and she consults with friends to learn more about the best options.
“While we don’t have a lot of selection that I can pick from for gluten-free, I do try to go through and read labels,” Leeper said. “… I mean it doesn’t do them or us any good if we give them a whole bag of food that they can’t eat.”
For people who are hypoglycemic, Leeper adds foods that will raise blood sugar levels, such as snack cakes, juice pouches or fruit bars. For those who are diabetic, she will put more vegetables, canned proteins and frozen meat in the bag.
Leeper also recognizes how a person’s living situation and lack of working appliances can restrict the types of food they are able to eat.
“One of the other things I try to keep in mind is I don’t know what their situation is,” she said. “I don’t know if they have a working stove. I don’t know if they have a good place to store food. ”
As she acknowledges these outside factors, Leeper knows that some households’ choices are restricted further through the love of their pets.
Because of this, the pantry also offers dog and cat food.
“I know there are people who will forego eating in order to give it to their pets and so much of the time, our pets become part of our family,” Leeper said, adding that her family has multiple cherished pets. “… One of my things is I want to make sure we take care of the two-legged and the four-legged.”
The pantry does not require any ID, proof of income or proof of residency to receive assistance.
Leeper and the pantry’s volunteers work to be cognizant of a person’s needs that go beyond hunger by looking at their situation holistically.
“I try to be really careful about allergies, different medical needs, and just preferences because, again, if I give you food that you’re not going to eat, it doesn’t really do anybody a whole lot of good,” Leeper said.
The pantry accepts donations of basic staples like spaghetti noodles, pasta sauce and rice along with hygiene products. For more information, contact St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church at 479-783-2101.
Where to find help
The Western Arkansas Community / Child Development Food Pantry’s next distribution will be from 10 am to 12 pm April 23 in the parking lot of the Crawford County District Court, 301 Mount Vista Boulevard in Van Buren.
The St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church food pantry is open from 10 am to 1 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2701 Old Greenwood Road in Fort Smith.