Page Contents
Overview
Implementers are encouraged to follow a four-stage process: Planning, Needs & Current Work Assessment, Implementation, and Certification & Maintenance. SNAP-Ed implementers collaborate with food pantry staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders to use the NPP framework and resources to organize and complete the intervention. NPP uses the Healthy Food Pantry Assessment (HFPAT), a Client Needs Assessment questionnaire, and client feedback strategies to assess pantry needs and readiness. Based on the assessment, a work plan is co-developed by the implementer, site staff, and/or volunteers. The pantry or implementer may amend the work plan at any time due to changing needs and goals of the pantry. An extensive toolkit supports a variety of PSE changes. Pantries completing the NPP process are recognized 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
Intervention Reach and Adoption
Setting: Community gardens, Food pantries
Target Audience: Homeless/Food Pantry Clients
Race/Ethnicity: All
Intervention Components
- Assessment tools
- Client and pantry-facing resources
- Marketing and certification materials
- Work plan and process templates
- Signage
- Other resources that support PSE activities in the six focus areas of NPP
A project management platform is available for implementers to manage their pantry efforts. Leah’s pantry offers technical assistance to support implementation, networking, ongoing training opportunities, and review of work plans to award pantry certification.
Intervention Materials
- 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/
Intervention Costs
Evidence Summary
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.
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. Pantries who have graduated NPP have used their certification status when applying for grants, highlighting the pantry to the community and increasing moral among staff and volunteers. 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
Evaluation Indicators
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
Evaluation Materials
Success Story
St. Anselm’s Food Pantry Partnership Fills the Need for Healthy Food Access and Nutrition Security:
Additional Information
Contact Person(s):
Leah Quinn – Program Manager
650-379-4795
*Updated as of October 8, 2023