Partnership promotes healthy eating among food pantry users

A line of people stood outside a local food pantry last summer holding empty boxes and bags, patiently waiting for the door to open. Another Washtenaw County Public Health - Health Promotion/Disease Prevention staff person and I moved through the small crowd, armed with recipe books and measuring cup giveaways, talking about tips for eating healthy on a tight budget.

A young woman approached me who had mobility problems and seemed to be in pain. She told me about the recent medical crisis and financial trouble that led her to use a food pantry for the first time. She and her daughter had been used to eating plenty of fresh produce and whole wheat bread and cooking from scratch. Now, they skipped meals to stretch their budget.

The fresh produce she received that day would likely be all they ate for the week. I talked with her about other locations where she could receive food and offered information about healthy eating on a budget.

This program, an innovative partnership with Food Gatherers, aims to decrease food insecurity and increase healthy eating among our community's neediest residents. Many food pantries throughout the county struggle to distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to clients in need because they lack refrigeration space. Through Michigan Department of Community Health, Building Healthy Communities grant funds, seven pantries in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti received a new refrigerator or freezer for storing produce. Between 2009 and 2010, these pantries gave out 22 percent more produce largely as a result of the new equipment.

Participating pantries included:
• Ann Arbor Community Center
• Bryant Community Center
• Hope Clinic
• Northside Community Center
• St. Clare’s Backdoor Pantry
• Towne Center
• Ypsilanti Salvation Army

Health Promotion/Disease Prevention staff also provided nutrition education at these pantries, visiting pantries a total of 30 times during weekly or monthly food distributions. The United States Department of Agriculture's "Loving Your Family, Feeding Their Future” program and materials were used to guide this work. All participants received a Healthy Family Guidebook, information about how to enroll in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps), and education about healthy eating. Through this program, WCPH staff met with more than 325 clients and provided nearly 2,500 pieces of nutrition education materials.

Food Gatherers reports that pantries are struggling to keep up with demand in our county. This program helped support the distribution of fresh produce through the pantry system, but more help is needed to make sure they can meet the growing demand for food. Food Gatherers exists to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes in our community by: reducing food waste through the rescue and distribution of food; coordinating with other hunger relief providers; educating the public about hunger; and developing new food resources. Do you need food or want to make a cash or food donation? Please visit www.foodgatherers.org.

In 2011, Health Promotion/Disease Prevention will be working in low income housing residences and the farmers market in Ann Arbor to provide nutrition education. For more information, email Lily Guzmán or call 734-544-2983.