The Nutrition Pantry Program (NPP) is a trauma-informed PSE change intervention designed to improve the food environment and client engagement within food pantries and other charitable distribution environments. NPP provides training and resources to support the implementation of strategies for increasing access and utilization of healthy food by pantry clients, increasing engagement of clients and other stakeholders, and sustaining healthy changes over time. Implementers are encouraged to follow a four-stage process; Planning, Needs & Current Work Assessment, Implementation, and Certification & Maintenance. SNAP-Ed implementers work in collaboration with food pantry staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders to use the NPP framework and resources to organize and complete the intervention. Pantry Need and Readiness is assessed and supported using a validated Healthy Food Pantry Assessment, a Client Needs Assessment questionnaire, and client feedback strategies. Based on needs and input, a work plan of PSE changes is created. NPP resources are available to support a variety of PSE changes. Pantries completing the NPP process are recognized and awarded as Bronze, Silver or Gold Certified Nutrition Pantries and celebrated in the community. 

Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Food Insecurity/Food Assistance  
Intervention Type: PSE Change 

NPP is intended for food pantry settings. Since 2017, over 50 pantries have participated in NPP. In 2019, 130 participants were trained in how to implement NPP independently. Additionally, over 600 participants were trained in pantry PSE changes. Implementing partners recruit food pantries to participate in NPP. Development of NPP included multiple focus groups and surveys of early implementers where feedback was provided on process and resources. NPP provides a framework and process for implementation, however, the program is meant to be flexible. Needs are identified by staff and volunteers through the pantry needs assessment document and by clients through feedback opportunities.  

Setting: Community gardens, Food pantries  
Target Audience: Homeless/Food Pantry Clients 
Race/Ethnicity: All 

NPP materials include:  

• Program and Process descriptions 
• Evaluation Tool 
• Needs Assessment 
• Work Plan 
• Other resources to support implementation of the 6 focus areas  

 To access NPP materials visit:  
https://www.leahspantry.org/what-we-offer/cultivate-nourished-communities/nutrition-pantry-program/ 

Pantries who have completed the Nutrition Pantry Program and a pre/post Healthy Food Pantry Assessment (n=12) increased their HFPAT score by an average of 7 points, with the largest changes seen in the categories of food distributed to clients and in policies. The smallest changes were seen in the categories of food storage and services for clients. (https://www.dropbox.com/s/o8iwpxpbrqy8ed9/NPP%20HFPAT_Evaluation%20Reporting.pdf?dl=0)  

Process evaluation outcomes included that participants found the resources easy to access and that NPP was a reasonable amount of work for staff and volunteers. However, only half “Agreed” that the work plan was easy to access and update, the other half neither agreed nor disagreed. 

Unintended benefits include network building among pantries either by geography or setting as evidenced by invitations for pantry tours, contact information exchanges and relationships built around exchange of surplus food and exchange of resources. There has been additional network building among non-traditional partners, such as food waste reduction projects. Unintended challenges include slower than expected program completion, often tied to monthly distributions (as opposed to weekly and therefore fewer opportunities to work on implementation of PSE changes), volunteer and staff turnover also limit progress. 

Evidence-based Approach: Practice-tested  

Based on the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework, the following outcome indicators can be used to evaluate intervention progress and success.

	Readiness and Capacity – Short Term (ST)	Changes – Medium Term (MT)	Effectiveness and Maintenance – Long Term (LT)	Population Results (R)
Individual
Environmental Settings	ST5	MT5	LT5, LT7
Sectors of Influence

ST5: Need and Readiness 

• ST5a: 42 pantries documented readiness for changes in PSE to expand access or improve appeal for healthy eating 

MT5: Nutrition Supports

• MT5b, c, d: Pantries completed an average number of 12 PSE changes to expand access or improve appeal for healthy eating 

LT5: Nutrition Supports Implementation 

• LT5c: Among the 12 sites that have made at least one PSE change (MT5) and completed a pre/post Healthy Food Pantry Assessment, 10 showed improvement in their food environment assessment score. 

 LT7: Program Recognition  

• LT7a: Leah’s Pantry has recognized 13 pantries as Certified Gold or Silver Nutrition Pantries, which means they have completed the NPP process  

Healthy Food Pantry Assessment: 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2sraep3qko37scm/NPP_HFPAT.pdf?dl=0  

Process Evaluation Survey:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/wz0ymqp3whje13c/Process%20evaluation%20survey%20NPP%202019.pdf?dl=0 

 

St. Anselm’s Food Pantry Partnership Fills the Need for Healthy Food Access and Nutrition Security (April 21, 2022):

https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/library/success-stories/st-anselms-food-pantry-partnership-fills-need-healthy-food-access-and#:~:text=Summary-,St.,feel%20comfortable%20visiting%20the%20Pantry.

Website: Visit the Nutrition Pantry Program website (www.leahspantry.org) for more information and resources. 

Contact Person(s):

Leah Quinn – Program Manager

650-379-4795

info@leahspantry.org