The neediest of our communities are beginning to see changes in food pantries. Some are actually allowing individuals to “shop” for what they need rather than being handed a bag filled randomly for them.
No longer simply the domain of canned corn and peanut butter, food banks are preparing ready-to-eat meals, opening their own farms and partnering with institutions as varied as local supermarkets and state prisons to help gather and process food. They are also handling much more fresh produce, which requires overhauling the way they store and distribute food.