Improving Client Experience and Charitable Food Reach and Access at Food Pantries: A Qualitative Study
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Food pantries are promising community partners in health promotion. This study explored client perspectives in food pantries to inform new approaches to improve client experience, reach, and access. We interviewed 52 adult clients who visited participating food pantries two or more times over 12 months in Cook County, Illinois in English, Spanish, or Cantonese. We analyzed transcripts using the Health Equity Implementation Framework. Participants were 69% female, 48% Black, 29% Asian, and 15% Hispanic/Latino. Participants identified availability of healthy and high-quality foods, client choice models, client-personnel interactions, multilingual services, and wait times as influential to pantry reach and access. Participants felt that client feedback opportunities and client-led community outreach could successfully engage community members who avoided food pantries due to stigma. Creating opportunities for client-centered feedback may improve client experience, reach, and access of food pantries, reduce stigma, and optimize a novel setting for community-based health promotion in diverse populations.
Authors: Jenny Jia, Colleen Anderson, Emily Romero, Namratha R. Kandula, Caitlin E. Caspi, Rinad S. Beidas, Matthew J. O'Brien
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G3515949408, Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Science Institute (NUCATS), G5884829157, G815100389, G9000091119, G9000196732, Mentoring in community engaged implementation research to reduce cardiovascular disparities, Community-engaged Design and Implementation of a Behavioral Economics Food Choice Intervention in Food Pantries to Improve Cardiovascular Health
OpenAlex ID: W4404357508