The Benefits of Implementing a Client-Choice Pantry Model
From Pre-Packed Boxes to Client Choice
For decades, food pantries have operated using pre-packed boxes to distribute food. While this method ensures efficiency and simplicity, it often overlooks the individual preferences and needs of clients. This one-size-fits-all approach can lead to food waste, client dissatisfaction, and a diminished sense of dignity for those relying on pantry services.
Enter the client-choice pantry model — a transformative approach that puts decision-making in the hands of clients. By allowing them to select the food items they need, pantries can reduce waste, improve service quality, and uphold the dignity of their patrons. According to the Regional Food Bank’s Client Choice Workbook, this model not only enhances client satisfaction but also creates operational efficiencies for food pantries.
Let’s explore the types of client-choice models, their benefits, and actionable steps to make the transition, with a special focus on how Full can streamline this process.
Types of Client-Choice Models
There are several ways to implement client choice, each tailored to the unique resources and constraints of your pantry:
Online Ordering Systems
With platforms like Full, clients can select their preferred items online. Full’s Preference-Based Shopping System enables pantries to display available options in multiple languages, allowing clients to make informed decisions. This system simplifies inventory management by collecting preference data rather than requiring real-time inventory updates.
Once a client sets their preferences, volunteers can pack bags or boxes in an efficient, assembly-line style methods. Clients can then walk or drive-up, and receive their distribution in just minutes.
Example: A client might indicate a preference for chicken over beef. Even if chicken isn’t available immediately, this data helps pantries understand community needs and plan future inventory.
Shopping-Style Pantries
In this model, pantries are set up like grocery stores. Clients use shopping carts to pick items from shelves, often without restrictions on quantity. The FISH Pantry in Vancouver, WA transformed its operations to adopt this model, creating a welcoming, bodega-style space with multilingual signage. This approach not only boosted client satisfaction but also doubled the number of households served daily.
Hybrid Models
Combining online ordering with in-person shopping provides flexibility. Clients can pre-select staple items online and supplement their orders with fresh produce or baked goods during an in-person visit.
Benefits of the Client-Choice Model
1. Reducing Food Waste
Traditional pre-packed boxes often contain items that clients don’t need or cannot use, leading to waste. With client choice:
Clients select only what they need, minimizing discarded items.
Pantries can identify high-demand items using data from tools like Full’s preference tracking system.
For example, if canned beans frequently go untouched, pantries can adjust inventory or direct donations toward more popular items.
2. Improving Dignity and Autonomy
Empowering clients to make their own choices fosters a sense of control and respect. Many clients report feeling more valued when given the freedom to select their food.
At FISH Pantry, clients were deeply moved when told, “Take what you need.” This simple shift transformed their experience, making them feel seen and respected.
3. Enhancing Service Quality
With systems like Full, pantries can gather data to improve service quality. By tracking preferences and distribution trends, pantries can:
Better align inventory with community needs.
Provide culturally relevant food options, such as halal or kosher products, which are often overlooked in traditional models.
4. Increasing Operational Efficiency
While transitioning to client choice may initially require more resources, long-term efficiencies often emerge:
Volunteers spend less time assembling pre-packed boxes.
Data-driven inventory management reduces surplus and shortages.
Online systems streamline scheduling and client interactions.
Steps to Transition to Client Choice
Transitioning from pre-packed boxes to a client-choice model requires careful planning and community involvement, but can also be very straightforward:
1. Assess Your Resources
Evaluate your pantry’s storage capacity, volunteer availability, and budget. Adequate storage space, like the 60,000 pounds of storage at FISH Pantry, can enable greater flexibility and variety for clients. Even without so much space, though, you can begin to place for enhanced storage and shopping-style organizations.
2. Train Volunteers
Address concerns about potential overuse by educating volunteers on the benefits of abundance and client trust. At FISH Pantry, volunteers were trained to celebrate clients taking what they needed, shifting the focus from scarcity to abundance.
3. Leverage Technology
Use platforms like Full to:
Display available food options with visuals and translations, and move the shopping element of choice to the guest’s device (computer or phone).
Collect preference data to guide future inventory planning.
Schedule client appointments to reduce wait times and streamline operations. Full offers appointments windows, so you can ensure a steady stream of guests, instead of large rushes that overwhelm the space and your team.
4. Engage the Community
Involve clients, volunteers, and donors in the transition process. Share success stories from other pantries and highlight the benefits of client choice.
5. Start Small
Pilot the client-choice model with a limited number of items or clients before scaling up. This allows for adjustments based on feedback and resource availability.
Real-Life Success: FISH Pantry
The FISH Pantry in Vancouver, WA, offers a compelling narrative about the transformative impact of the client-choice model. For over 50 years, the pantry operated under a traditional distribution model, handing out pre-packed food boxes to families in need. While this system met immediate needs, it left little room for clients’ preferences or autonomy. Recognizing the limitations of the old system, the FISH team began exploring the client-choice model as a way to better serve their community.
The Shift to Client Choice
The first step involved addressing logistical challenges, including space constraints. In its original setup, the pantry lacked the capacity to offer a wide variety of food options. A move to a new facility changed everything. With 60,000 pounds of storage capacity and ample shelving, the pantry was able to create a bodega-style shopping environment. Clients could now browse shelves stocked with fresh produce, dairy, frozen meat, and pantry staples, selecting items that suited their tastes and needs.
The new space also allowed the pantry to embrace an attitude of abundance. “We’ve moved beyond a scarcity mindset,” Estrem noted. “When we project that abundance to clients, a client’s fears about taking too much drop. Some people take less, because they know this resource will be here and they can come back next week.”
Volunteer Buy-In and Training
One of the most significant hurdles was ensuring volunteer support. “People were worried about clients taking too much food,” Estrem said. To address these concerns, the pantry implemented extensive training sessions focused on shifting perspectives from scarcity to generosity. Volunteers were encouraged to celebrate clients’ ability to take what they needed, fostering a more welcoming environment.
Innovative Solutions
To streamline operations and reduce friction, FISH Pantry introduced a floor scale for tracking food distribution. Clients could wheel their carts onto the scale, and a volunteer would record the total weight. This eliminated the need for manual calculations and allowed clients to leave with their food quickly and without feeling scrutinized.
The Impact
Since adopting the client-choice model, FISH Pantry has experienced remarkable growth. The number of households served daily has nearly doubled, from 50-60 to 90-100. Clients report feeling more respected and valued, often expressing gratitude for the freedom to choose their food. “A lot of clients get emotional when they hear, ‘Take what you need,’” Estrem shared. It’s a powerful moment of acknowledgment and respect.
FISH’s success has also inspired plans for future growth. The pantry hopes to expand its hours and reach, particularly among underserved populations such as undocumented Latinx residents. By building trust and removing barriers, FISH aims to ensure that everyone in the community feels welcome and supported.
The Full Advantage
Full’s Preference-Based Shopping System is uniquely suited to support the client-choice model:
Multilingual Tools: Accommodate diverse communities with built-in translations.
Preference Tracking: Collect data on client needs without requiring real-time inventory updates.
Low Maintenance: Minimal manual updates mean volunteers can focus on client service.
Scalable Solutions: Whether you’re a small pantry or a large operation, Full adapts to your needs.
Conclusion: Transforming Lives Through Choice
Implementing a client-choice pantry model isn’t just about changing how food is distributed — it’s about transforming the pantry experience for clients, volunteers, and the community. By reducing waste, improving dignity, and leveraging tools like Full, food pantries can make a meaningful impact.
As FISH Pantry’s story demonstrates, the journey to client choice requires effort but pays dividends in client satisfaction and operational efficiency. For pantries ready to embrace this change, resources like the Regional Food Bank’s Client Choice Workbook provide invaluable guidance.
With the right tools and mindset, every pantry can turn the promise of choice into a reality, ensuring that no one leaves their doors feeling unseen or unheard.