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Ways to End Hunger |
Welcome, Reassure and Comfort Clients<< previous page |
Food pantry abuse is a myth
Most people believe it or not, are basically honest and wouldn’t be caught dead within 100 yards of a food pantry unless they really are in need of help. We shouldn’t be worried about people scamming the system.
But for your own peace of mind and, perhaps, to reassure your supporters and suppliers, we recommend asking clients to sign a brief, simple declaration of need. Something such as:
“I understand that the (name of pantry) exists to provide food assistance to people and families who really need that help. By accessing help from the pantry I affirm that my household genuinely needs food assistance.”
What about scammers?
People scamming food pantries to get food to sell to buy drugs or whatever is one of those urban legends that just will not die despite overwhelming evidence that it simply doesn’t happen. There simply is no market out on the streets for a can of this and a box of that. And no drug dealer is going to take a bag of groceries for a fix. And most drugs cost too much anyway!
In the Jewish and Christian traditions, aid provided to someone in need is an interest-bearing secured loan from the giver to God, and a gift from God to the needy person (Proverbs 19:17). So what the needy person does with the food isn’t your concern. It’s God’s. Leave it there.
When suppliers demand more client information
A bigger problem is what do you do if a donor or supplier requires you to demand proof of income or some other information from those you serve. None of the world’s major religious faiths’ guiding scriptural texts make allowance for that. So what is a faith-based group to do? We are aware of three options:
- Coax the donor or supplier to modify their requirements so as to permit you to follow your faith’s teachings more faithfully.
- Keep their food separate from the food you have that doesn’t fall under their jurisdiction, and give clients the choice of whether to access one, the other, or both supplies. Only collect detailed information from clients who ask for the food that requires it.
- Decline handling the food or money from that source.
If we are going to end hunger we must have a food distribution process that doesn’t scare off 20-40 percent of the needy. That means seriously paying attention to how people are greeted and treated when they walk through your pantry’s front door, and when they are interviewed at your intake desk.
Most clients have short-term food needs
Most people who seek food aid from you likely will do so only one or two times. Our research recommends just serving them. If, however, someone starts coming back week after week after week or for multiple months, it is perfectly reasonable for you to discuss their situation with them to pin down more clearly exactly what is driving their need, and if there are other or additional forms of aid they perhaps should be pursuing, for example, food stamps.
The reality is that some people may need your help for the rest of their lives—for example, a widowed retiree with a lot of health problems but only a small Social Security check to live on.
But most people should be moving on with their lives within six months or so of when they begin drawing food, or may need some gentle assistance or encouragement in that direction.