Ray Poucher, a regular client at Pathways of Hope, shops the client choice pantry.

Second Harvest Food Bank and partner Pathways of Hope gave an inside look at their innovative client choice pantry in Fullerton last week, which serves residents of Orange County who are facing food insecurity. At a time when grocery prices are continuing to rise, these client choice models are essential in preserving the personal agency and dignity of those in Orange County who are food insecure by providing a grocery store experience with access to free, nutritious food.

Unlike food distribution sites that provide food boxes with a preset selection of food, the client choice model allows clients to select the food items that most appeal to them and their families, thus creating a dignified experience for the average of 400K OC residents served by Second Harvest each month.

 Food insecurity is growing, and groceries are becoming more expensive than ever—what’s a family to do?

In fact, one in five CA households reports uncertain access to food, and a recent Household Pulse Survey highlighted that Californians spend around $298 weekly on groceries, surpassing the national average of $270. This figure escalates by 40% when families have a child! Yet as inflation persists, Second Harvest Food Bank and many of its partner sites throughout Orange County, like Pathways of Hope, are here to provide a dignified experience that replicates a grocery store known as the client choice model to at-risk families and individuals.

For hours at the Pathways of Hope pantry and all other Orange County food pantry locations, please visit https://feedoc.org/need-food/.

For the list of food banks near you go to: https://feedoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SHFB-Partner-List-01-23-24.pdf

ABOUT SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK

At Second Harvest Food Bank, our vision is an Orange County with food and nutritional security for all. In collaboration with our partners, we provide dignified, equitable, and consistent access to nutritious food, creating a foundation for community health. Our partner network includes houses of worship, schools, after-school programs, colleges and universities, senior centers, shelters for the unhoused, and soup kitchens.