FAYETTEVILLE -- A study led by researchers at the University of Arkansas suggests the Little Free Pantry program, begun in Fayetteville in 2016 to help feed the hungry, may do more to help some people feel good than it is actually helping those in need.
Local activists challenged that conclusion.
"Although the individuals who establish these pantries are likely well intentioned, the shortcomings of many of the pantries suggest they may fall more into the category of 'symbolic gesture' rather than a practical solution to alleviating food insecurity," an article detailing the study states in its conclusions.
While they acknowledged the limitations of the Little Free Pantry program, some people with personal knowledge of the program said its benefits outweighed its shortcomings.
Grace Cleghorn is the parish chef for St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville. The church allows a Little Free Pantry to operate on its property and has supplemented the pantry with a "Little Free Fridge" to make perishable items available. Cleghorn said the Little Free Pantry at the church is, like the others, community-driven and managed with little church involvement.
"It's got something new in it almost every day," she said. "And it's not just food. People sometimes leave bags of dog food at the base of the pantry. We get baby items and diapers, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products. Really almost anything people think someone might need."
Solomon Burchfield is director of New Beginnings NWA in Fayetteville, a nonprofit group working to find solutions to homelessness. Burchfield said he has participated in the Little Free Pantry program for years and he understands the criticisms of the program and acknowledges the problems. He also said the pantries and other programs are still needed and fill a role no other programs do. He said it's useful for those participating to examine what they're doing and whether they can or should do more.
"Are we doing good or just making ourselves feel good?" Burchfield said. "That's a good question for all nonprofit, human services organizations. While we are addressing the immediate needs of individuals are we also addressing the changes that are needed in our social systems and our political system that contribute to problems like food insecurity and housing insecurity?"
The article, which was recently published online by the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, lists the researchers as Kevin Fitzpatrick and Anna Wahls, both with the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Arkansas; Don Willis, with the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Arkansas; and Amber Obermaier with the Department of Sociology at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.
The article begins with the premise food insecurity in the U.S. persists despite a complex patchwork of programs, actors and organizations struggling to feed millions of Americans. Data were collected on one of these organizations -- Little Free Pantries -- located throughout Washington County.
The research team collected data and took photographs of 39 pantries over a 10-day period in 2022. Little Free Pantry locations are often found at churches, nonprofit organizations, schools, businesses, neighborhood associations and individuals. Anyone who sees the pantry has access to its contents. Anyone can start his own Little Free Pantry and register it to the website, allowing for great variety in terms of location, condition and usage.
Overall, the article states, results suggest Little Free Pantries may be meeting some of its goals in terms of emergency food provision, but its limitations highlight the critiques that have been made of the charitable model, such as availability, acceptability and accessibility.
The researchers observed somewhat consistent change in the contents of the pantries throughout the week; however, few of these items were fresh or perishable food items and much of the contents stayed the same throughout the study period in the lesser-used pantries, according to the article. This suggests the pantries had at least some amount of usage and stocking that occurred throughout the week the pantries were observed.
The majority of pantries observed were satisfactory in condition, according to the article; however, nearly a quarter of them were in poor condition. This is a large portion of pantries in conditions that likely shape the experiences of those who use them, and may even deter usage or compromise the safety of the food they are providing.
Most of the Little Free Pantries observed were at churches or other locations and over half were not accessible to a disabled user, the article states.
Monique Jones is director of outreach and community engagement for St. James Missionary Baptist Church, which operates a more traditional food pantry program, with food being provided to individuals twice a week.
Jones said the Little Free Pantries provide an important service, making food and other items available to those who may not be able to connect with other programs.
"It's used every day," Jones said. "You may have someone who is working and unable to get to the food pantry during their hours, but they can go by the Little Free Pantry after work. We restock every day."
Jones said the church is working to expand services to fill in the gaps between government programs, traditional food pantries and other programs, including those like the Little Free Pantry. She said the outreach includes help enrolling in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other programs and working to provide people with access to computers and wireless internet.
Ultimately, Jones said, the success or failure of the Little Free Pantry program will be determined by those who need the service.
"This gives them the opportunity to say what they are going to use and what they're not going to use," she said.
Monique Jones stocks a Little Free Pantry Friday Jan. 12, 2024 on Willow Ave. in Fayetteville. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)Little Free Pantries
A map showing the location of Little Free Pantries can be found at littlefreepantry.org.
For more information about St. James Missionary Baptist Church's food pantry, call (479) 521-0961, or go to: https://bit.ly/faystjamespantry
Source: NWA Democrat-