40 percent of those in need will go hungry rather than submit to a poorly structured screening process.

By the time a needy person’s hand reaches for the doorknob of your food pantry they are just about as frightened, frustrated and humiliated as they are ever going to be.

And when they open that door, what happens? How are they greeted? Are they greeted? How does the greeting compare to that extended to visitors at the Sunday church services? Are they made to feel welcome? Is the urgency of their quest respected with prompt attention, or at least a reasonable explanation? “Hi. As you can see, we have a number of people in line ahead of you, but we will get to you as quickly as we can. Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait?”

When they do get to the intake desk, how is it arranged? Are they seated opposite the intake worker—an adversarial arrangement—or at the side of the desk—a conversational arrangement? Is their chair comparable to the one the intake worker has or is it yet another reminder of their “beggar” status? Can they see what the intake worker writes down or enters into the computer? And is the tone of the intake interview one of reassurance? “I just need to get down some basic facts and figures to keep the powers-that-be happy, and then we will get you into the pantry, okay?” Or is the interview done in such a way that the person could easily feel distrusted or disrespected? “We have to weed out liars and cheaters.”

 

Gather reasonable information

The difference is huge. Our research suggests that as many as 40 percent of those in need will go hungry rather than submit to a poorly-structured screening process. They are already completely stressed out about having to ask for food in the first place. At the first hint of distrust, disrespect or further humiliation they will bolt for the door and you will never see them again, not because they aren’t in need, but because your pantry’s practices were more than they could bear.

If this happens, you will never end hunger. You can’t. You can only end hunger if those who need food aid are encouraged to seek and access it.

Okay, but what information about clients or what proof of need or other information should a food pantry require? Our research recommends obtaining:

We do not recommend requiring that they prove anything—not their address, their income or anything else. All that requiring positive identification does is say, “We don’t trust you.”

Imagine that you are the needy person, and for the first time ever you’ve asked a church to help you, and instead of just helping you they ask for proof of your income and two forms of identification? That could leave a scar that could take a lifetime to heal—that in your hour of need the church treated you no better than some government bureaucracy would have.

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