Food insecurity- (not knowing when or how the next meal will be obtained) is only one facet in the operation a Food Pantry which distributes food to various groups of people of a community.
A food pantry or commonly known as a food closet, food shelves or local food bank are non-profit organizations that provide assistance to communities in need. Their main focus is to assist people of various groups to maintain a healthy life. You will be surprised to see the groups within the community affected by food insecurity. Food insecurity, defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is a limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.
Children are the number one victims of food insecurity because their family has to make the hard decisions whether to pay bills or to feed their child in a manner that is healthy. On a national average, 15.9 million children suffer from food insecurity. Food insecurity in children can hinder not only their physical health but their state of mind as well. Most children in a food insecurity environment might have a difficult experience in the performance of normal learning objectives in school.
Low income families make up a very small percentage of food insecurity’s total population because most low income family has at least one working adult. Most people believe that people living in poverty, the homeless, the elderly, and low income individuals and families top the food insecurity list. This could be far from the truth. Other affected groups are Afro-Americans, Hispanics, Latino population, and seniors living with younger family members receive most likely to reap the benefits of a food pantry. Another myth is that urban areas have the highest poverty rate that intensifies the food insecurity issue, which is incorrect. Urban areas have better access to food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency distribution points. This is depicted in Figure 1. In a rural setting, these amenities are scarce and less accessible. It is hard and very difficult to have food-security in this type of locale. Rural areas rely on churches and whatever resources that are available to get the necessary healthy meals for their children, family, and the elderly. Figure 1. Urban areas have better access to food pantries than rural areas.
Non-Profit organizations provide root solutions to overcome food insecurity and provide other services as well. These organizations are private and public companies which are registered with the Internal Revue Service (IRS) as a Non-profit company or organization to include churches, volunteer organizations, and most public health and education venues. These organization are absolutely dependent of volunteers, partnerships, donations.
Facilitating a food pantry has its’ economic challenges. Dependent on the need of the community, the provision of essentials to promote food security are heavily relied upon by food and monetary donations, voluntary resources. Food pantry donations can range from the hundreds to the hundreds of millions. Contributors and partners donate money, food, equipment, property for warehousing food, property for training, housing, professional services, government grants and more.
There is not a standard annual budget for a food pantry. For example, the state of Maryland Food Bank publishes their Annual Fiscal Year 2012 report which revealed that they received about forty-nine million dollars in revenue through donations which was a ten million dollar increase from last fiscal year. Food banks distribute and support most food pantries in their region and many of the programs utilized by food banks are the same or similar to the programs used by food pantries which may vary in startup cost and sustainment of each program associated with a particular food pantry. The food banks and pantries recruit resources, contact information for contributors and other important information through a very large network.
Feed America is a venue most food pantries and food banks are affiliated. They network though a vast reach of resource that includes about ninety-five percent of the United States. It is a hub where contributor can link to an organization within the networking system. This is also a venue you can use to get the main ideas on how to start, improve and other supporting programs for a Food Pantry.
A prerequisite to establish a successful program begins with analyzing the community to conclude a substantial demand for food insecurity system. The USDA provides survey results for most of all the states, regions, and cities in the United States in which you can decide whether to push forward. Applications to various state and government agencies and department will have to be filed to concrete the company or organization as a legitimate non-profit. The organization will have to have a functional business plan with and stable hierarchy of board members, directors, and officers. They must adhere to all tedious the rules set forth with regard of food safety by local, state, and federal agencies. Refrigeration, warehousing, and food preparation are just among the few that will be inspected for safety reason. Volunteers will have to be recruited and who might be separated them into groups in their areas of expertise. A hired professional staff may be warranted to assist with administrative and personnel issues. Advertisement campaigns, fundraises, and other genres to generate funding will have to be planned as well. Health awareness, nutrition awareness, on the job training and education, apprenticeship programs will be developed as funds and human resources become available to support the needs of the community.
Food pantries spew out benefits for the community it supports. Even though most pantries do not have the resources to abolish food-insecurity, it has become a great tool to educate, support and provide the means for food-security local and at times nationally. Some organizations have implemented mobile campaigns which reaches out to the senior and disabled citizens who are in poor health. Chef-style food preparation by local and regional culinary students, who volunteer not just for the experience, but to boost the morale of patron in support of the food pantry or soup kitchen. As nation, we support the need for food-security and public safety and do what is it takes to conquer this issue. School lunch programs are just a tip on the iceberg compared to the one of every six Americans’ fall into the food insecurity column. Food pantries, food banks, and other charitable organizations are essential and can amount to over a billion dollar movement towards reducing and educating the people on food-insecurity and providing the services needed to keep it from recurring.

References
United States Department of Agriculture, Food Nutrition page (n.d). Retrieved November 8,
2013 from http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security.aspx#.UoEnzvmsim4
United States Department of Agriculture Definition of Food Security page (n.d). Retrieved
November 8, 2013 from http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=
FOOD_SECURITY&navtype=RT&parentnav=FOOD_NUTRITION
Maryland Food Bank About Us page (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://www.mdfoodbank.org/site/c.mgLPIYOzGlF/b.5551683/k.C86C/About_Us.htm
Maryland Food Bank Home page (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://www.mdfoodbank.org/site/c.mgLPIYOzGlF/b.5551677/k.BF32/Home.htm Feeding America Hunger Facts page (n.d). Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts.aspx Feeding America Hunger and Poverty Statistics page (n.d). Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/hunger-and-poverty-statistics.aspx Feeding America Impact of Hunger page (n.d). Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger.aspx Feeding America Hunger Studies page (n.d). Retrieved November 8, 2013 from
http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies.aspx