How One Food Pantry Scaled by Thousands with Technology
A Story of Growth
Scaling a small food pantry to serve hundreds of people each week may seem like an impossible challenge. Limited resources, volunteer shortages, and unpredictable food supply chains make it difficult to expand operations without overburdening staff. However, with the right technology and strategic adjustments, even the smallest food pantries can increase their impact while maintaining efficiency.
Portland Open Bible Community Pantry (POBC), located in the Lents neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, faced these exact challenges. With a diverse community relying on their services—many of whom spoke limited English—POBC needed a solution that would allow them to serve more people without adding significant strain to their operations. Their answer? Technology. By integrating Full, a food pantry management platform designed to streamline operations, POBC scaled its efforts, improved its data tracking, and dramatically increased efficiency.
The Challenges Faced
Like many food pantries, POBC struggled with common operational hurdles:
Managing High Demand with Limited Staff – Before implementing technology, pantry operations relied heavily on manual intake forms and volunteer-run shopping. Long lines often formed, often hours before open, and volunteers struggled to keep up with the volume of people seeking assistance.
Understanding Client Need – Without a system to track food preferences or trends in demand, the pantry sometimes provided certain items to those who didn’t want or need them, while running out of other foods for people who did need them. Pre-packed boxes often contained items that clients didn’t want or couldn’t eat, leading to unnecessary waste.
Language Barriers and Accessibility – The community served by POBC includes a significant number of non-English speakers, including Mandarin, Vietnamese, Russian, Spanish, and others, making communication during intake and distribution a challenge.
Inconsistent Scheduling and Long Wait Times – The pantry operated on a first-come, first-served basis, which often led to congestion and long wait times, frustrating both clients and volunteers.
The leadership at POBC knew they needed a way to streamline operations, collect data more efficiently, and provide a better experience for both volunteers and clients. They turned to Full, a technology platform built specifically for food pantries, to address these challenges.
How Technology Provided a Solution
1. Digital Scheduling and Order-Ahead Services
One of the first changes POBC implemented was Full’s online scheduling and ordering system. Instead of waiting in long lines, clients could now reserve time slots or pre-select food items based on their preferences. This reduced congestion and allowed volunteers to pack orders ahead of time, speeding up the distribution process.
With Full’s multilingual capabilities, clients could navigate the system in their preferred language, eliminating confusion during sign-up and food selection. During COVID-19, when implementing this platforming, Full also enabled POBC to communicate essential information, like distancing and other health requirements.
2. Data-Driven Inventory Management
Prior to using Full, POBC had little visibility into which food items were most in demand. This often led to surpluses of unwanted items and shortages of essentials. Full’s Preference-Based Shopping System changed that:
Clients could indicate their preferred food choices rather than receive pre-packed boxes.
The pantry could track which items were most requested and adjust their inventory accordingly.
Volunteers no longer needed to manually count and sort surplus items—Full automatically generated reports on what was needed most.
3. Language Accessibility and Inclusive Service
A significant percentage of POBC’s clients speak languages other than English, including Vietnamese, Russian, and Spanish. With Full’s built-in multilingual tools, clients could now navigate the ordering system and intake process in their native language, removing barriers to service.
This enhanced communication reduced frustration and allowed volunteers to spend more time assisting rather than translating.
4. Improved Reporting for Grants and Funding
One of the most valuable aspects of Full was its automated data collection and reporting features. Instead of manually compiling reports for grant applications and funding requests, POBC could now:
Track how many families were served each week.
Document the specific needs of their community.
Provide real-time data to donors and funding agencies, strengthening their case for additional resources.
As a result, the pantry was able to secure additional funding, allowing them to further expand their services, launch new programs, and reach more people in the Portland community.
The Results: Measurable Community Impact
Since implementing Full’s technology-driven solutions, POBC has experienced dramatic improvements in their operations:
50% Increase in Households Served – With more efficient intake and distribution processes, POBC was able to more than double the number of families served weekly over four years.
Reduced Food Waste by 27% – By aligning food inventory with client preferences, the pantry significantly cut down on discarded items.
Shorter Wait Times – Scheduled pick-ups and online ordering reduced congestion, allowing clients to receive food quickly and without long lines, typically under 2 minutes.
Enhanced Volunteer Efficiency – Volunteers who previously spent hours sorting and packing now focused on community engagement and service.
Greater Accessibility – With language-inclusive services, more diverse community members felt comfortable seeking assistance.
According to POBC leadership, the shift was transformational. “Before, we were just trying to keep up with demand. Now, we have a system that allows us to plan ahead, serve more people, and use our resources more wisely,” said Pastor Aaron Brown.
Conclusion: Inspiring Other Organizations
POBC’s story demonstrates that scaling a food pantry is not just about adding more resources—it’s about using smarter solutions. By embracing technology, they streamlined their workflow, improved client experience, and expanded their reach without overburdening their staff.
For small pantries looking to serve more people while maintaining efficiency, adopting a platform like Full can be a game-changer. Whether it’s through online ordering, automated inventory tracking, or multilingual accessibility, technology offers tangible ways to improve food distribution and empower communities.
If your food pantry is looking for ways to grow without adding extra stress, consider how digital solutions could help you work smarter, not harder. POBC’s journey proves that with the right tools, scaling is not just possible—it’s inevitable.