Food Pantry's Contribution Towards Reducing the Needs-Gap

Abstract

This research estimates the contribution of a local food pantry's food assistance program in helping lower-income households. The assistance provided is measured by the extent to which it closes households' needs-gaps, defined as the additional income the households would need to afford their basic needs such as food, housing, transportation, health care, and the like. Primary and secondary data sources were compiled to estimate the needs-gaps for different household types as well as the cost savings provided by the food pantry. The food pantry provides households with approximately five to 16 days' worth of food and saves them over $80 in food expenditures each month they visit. While this is a major help for lower-income households facing financial struggles, it reduces the needs-gap by only 1-2%. Food pantries are thus essential for helping low-income households, but are only part of the solution to helping all Americans acquire their basic needs.