This week, we went back to Common Pantry, the closest food pantry to our house, to work with Scott, the manager, and the incredibly fun and devoted group of people there.
To give a quick refresher, Common Pantry distributes food once a week, on Wednesdays in both the afternoon and evenings. They also do some home delivery and produce distribution at other times during the week, but Wednesdays are the big day. (If you want a few more details, please check on previous posts, especially Week 23). This time, Jen got to do a new job. She was one of the people who assisted people as they "shopped" for the food they get to choose themselves. At this pantry, the goal is to give people a sense of independence to act as counter point to the feelings of dependence brought on by needing to go to a pantry in the first place. The way they encourage that independence is to give every patron a certain number of points. These points can be used to pick foods that are not part of the normal package. They can load up on things they like, or get things they need that are not readily available in the regular distribution.
One thing Jen and I have noticed is that if you get food from a pantry, even from different pantries around the city, you tend to get a lot of the same thing. Certain foods are just easier to keep fresh or are just more available. I have been told by many pantry patrons, here and elsewhere, that they have three jars of peanut butter and even more jelly at home, and please don't make me take any more of that stuff! Canned goods are really prevalent, and toiletries are scarce. If you want to make a big difference in the life of people who are struggling, donate 50 tubes of toothpaste to your nearest pantry - they never have enough. If you are considering donating canned beef stew, pick something else. That stuff is always in stock. If you want to give soup, give something other than tomato or chicken noodle. Even if it seems like a long shot in the taste department, someone will be thrilled to try that unusual soup instead of another can of generic tomato.
Because of all this sameness, food can get pretty boring in a big hurry. By giving the patrons a choice, the pantry is able to use all of the food it gets in from food drives. That stuff is usually of wide variety and not easily categorized. More accurately, it does not always fit well with the large shipments of product from places like the Greater Chicago Food Depository. By putting in out in the choice section, there is no need to give everyone an equal share. What is there is there, and when it is gone, it is gone. But it still can provide treats for people who can really use them.
So... Jen spent the night helping the patrons see what was available for them and helping them pick it out. In some cases, that meant helping someone find that thing they really need. In others, it meant reminding them that they were out of points. Almost always, it meant reminding them that other people were behind them waiting to get in. Since the pantry is quite small, there is only room for two people to shop at a time, and it is hard to make sure everyone gets a turn.
I spent the night manning the USDA section, which is part of the predetermined allotment of food that is given to the patrons. I had a good time working with two other guys who were handling the meat and the rest of the packaged food. It was a busy night for the pantry, serving 35 patrons who account for well over 100 hungry people. This time we have a lot of big families, with seven or eight family members. These are always hard for the patrons because they are given so much food that they can barely carry it. Some bring along helpers, but we also try to at least help them get it out to the street.
Both Jen and I had a great night, and we both remarked to each other about how great the entire staff and volunteer corps are at this pantry. Every time we are there, we meet new people, re-connect with those we know and spend a lot of time laughing along to the work. It is always a good time for us.
To learn more about the pantry, go to Common Pantry
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