I have big news! Over the past year, the pantry has been hard at work getting ready to make a few changes that will help our community. I am thrilled to say that we are implementing two significant changes that will help our community in getting the healthy, nutritious food they need.
For those who aren’t familiar with our facility, we are what’s considered a “choice pantry,” meaning that our guests can place their orders online from 4:00 PM the day before they pick up until 10:00 AM that morning. Pantry days have traditionally been Tuesdays from 12:30 to 3:00 PM, Thursdays from 12:30 to 3:00 PM, and Fridays from 12:30 to 3:00 PM for pick-ups and Mondays and Wednesdays for delivery to the Red Hill Villas and Upper Per Manor senior communities. There was also an opportunity to work with us if you needed hours outside of those times, but there were no evening choices for scheduling.
Our pantry runs “real-time” inventory, meaning that items can be seen on the order screen until they run out. Each guest is assigned a number of “points” to use for a pantry visit, based on their household size. For instance, a family of two might receive 140 points, whereas a family of 5 might receive 300 or more points. Points are the currency, and items can be obtained for their point value. Items that are healthier have a lower point value (like oranges) than ones that aren’t as good for us (like Lucky Charms, which I love!) The system encourages people to make healthier choices based on their point values, but it also acknowledges freedom of choice, because I am not the only one who loves Lucky Charms!
Having launched in May, the pantry is now open on Tuesday evenings! This will allow people who work or have other obligations during the day, like childcare, the opportunity to pick up an order between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM on Tuesday evenings. We heard from several families that the hours during the day were difficult to manage with busy schedules, so we are expanding to make sure that more families have what they need to be food secure.
The second big change that’s happening as of July 1 is that the pantry will now be accessible two times per month! This is a big shift for the organization, but an important one for those who access the pantry, particularly older adults and children. This change will allow households to access fresh items like veggies, fruit, milk, eggs and other dairy, as well as proteins, more than once per month. We all know fresh food doesn’t last a whole month, so we want to make sure that those who need the pantry have access to the best, most nutritious food possible on a regular basis.
Like with any change, it will take a little time to adjust, and there will certainly be a glitch or two, but our team will work with our customers to continuously improve their experience. If you are interested in learning more about the pantry or if you need pantry services, please reach out to me at mariannel@theopenlink.org. We always need volunteers, love giving tours, and want everyone to have enough to eat, so please don’t hesitate to connect!
