Beach Food Pantry Inc

THE BEACH FOOD PANTRY REACHES OUT AND PROVIDES NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE TO DARE COUNTY RESIDENTS IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

IN 2021, THE BEACH FOOD PANTRY HAD SIX DISTRIBUTION METHODS TO GET FOOD TO HUNGRY AND/OR FOOD INSECURE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING A CRISIS OR EMERGENCY SITUATION IN DARE COUNTY, NC: 1) CLIENT-CHOICE, MYPLATE-ALIGNED FOOD PANTRY SERVICES - OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, PROVIDED AT OUR KITTY HAWK PANTRY, PROVIDES 2 WEEKS OF FREE GROCERIES, BASED ON FAMILY SIZE. THE PANTRY IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 2-4 PM, EXCLUDING MAJOR HOLIDAYS. IN 2021, WE SERVED 1,739 INDIVIDUALS (OR APPROXIMATELY 73,038 MEALS). 2) MOBILE PANTRY SPECIAL EVENTS - TRANSPORTATION TO OUR OFFICE IS A CHALLENGE FOR MANY OF OUR CLIENTS AS THERE IS LIMITED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WE HAVE A VAN SO THAT WE COULD TAKE FOOD OUT TO AREAS OF HIGHEST NEED. WE PLAN TO OFFER AT LEAST ONE OF THESE EVENTS EACH MONTH FROM SEPT-MAY ANNUALLY. WE CONSISTENTLY SERVE BETWEEN 60-120 INDIVIDUALS AT THESE DISTRIBUTIONS. 3) MASS TEXT DISTRIBUTION SPECIAL EVENTS - IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER SERVE OUR CLIENTS AND REDUCE OUR WASTE, THE PANTRY ALSO OFFERS SPECIAL "MASS TEXT DISTRIBUTIONS" WHEN THERE IS EXTRA FOOD TO SHARE. A TEXT MESSAGE IS SENT TO ALL CLIENTS FROM THE CALENDAR YEAR SO FAR ALERTING THEM TO THE OPPORTUNITY. IT IS A MORE LIMITED AMOUNT OF FOOD PER VISIT, BUT IT DOES NOT COUNT TOWARD THEIR ANNUAL MAXIMUM NUMBER OF VISITS. THE PANTRY VARIES THE DAYS AND TIMES OF THESE MESSAGES. 4)SUMMER FOOD FOR KIDS 2021 - WE EXPANDED THE PROGRAM TO 16 WEEKS IN SUMMER 2021 AND WE OFFERED 17 POTENTIAL PICK-UP LOCATIONS WHERE WE DISTRIBUTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DARE COUNTY SCHOOLS SUMMER MEAL PROGRAM. SO AS NOT TO DUPLICATE SERVICES WITH THE SCHOOL MEALS, WE SET UP ONLINE ORDERING AND OFFERED EGGS, PRODUCE, DAIRY, MEATS, ETC THAT WERE NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE. PARENTS ORDERED UP TO 40% PRODUCE EACH WEEK 1,354 INDIVIDUALS FROM 515 HOUSEHOLDS WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. 5) HOLIDAY MEAL BAGS - WE PROVIDED 371 BAGS OF GROCERIES GEARED TOWARDS HOLIDAY MEALS FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE A MEAL FOR THEIR FAMILIES. WE BEGAN OFFERING AN ONLINE ORDERING PROCESS FOR THIS SERVICE AS WELL. THEREFORE, WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER PERISHABLE PRODUCT FOR THESE BAGS THAT WE NEVER HAD BEFORE, SUCH AS PRODUCE. FURTHER, WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER ADDITIONAL CULTURALLY-APPROPRIATE FOODS AND PRODUCTS FOR RESTRICTED DIETS. 6) IN 2021, WE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE DELIVERY FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ELDERLY AND OTHERWISE SHUT-IN, AS WELL AS CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH DARE COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES TO DELIVER TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 AND QUARANTINING AT HOME.