HPI Success Story with Second Harvest Food Bank of NWPA

About Wesleyville Interfaith Food Pantry

Wesleyville Interfaith Food Pantry is a partner agency of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania. As a food pantry, they help provide much needed food and supplies for community members in need and provide food for families who find themselves in emergency situations.

PA Healthy Pantry Initiative (PA HPI) and a partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Healthy Pantry Initiative (PA HPI) is a project of Feeding Pennsylvania in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Through these partnerships, Feeding PA is working with its member food banks to increase access to healthy food within food pantries and increase consumption of healthy food by pantry clients through various promotion methods. Seven nutrition educators have been hired across the state to work directly with the food pantries in their service areas.

The site director, staff, and volunteers have demonstrated dedication to improving the health and wellbeing of the clients that visit their pantry per their level of participation in the PA HPI program.- David Godoy, Nutrition Educator at Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania

The Process: The Behind the Scenes of the Partnership

  • Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania nutrition educator ran a baseline assessment test to analyze the successes and opportunities of the food pantry
  • After the baseline assessment, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania nutrition educator did an HPI training for pantry employees and volunteers
  • Conversion materials were provided to Wesleyville Interfaith Food Pantry through DOH grant
  • Signage, recipes, and videos were distributed directly to PA HPI pantries and through the feedingpa.org/hpi website

The Impact: Impacts of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pa + Wesleyville Interfaith Food Pantry Partnership

According to David Godoy, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania nutrition educator, twelve volunteers and staff participated in the PA HPI staff training. The pantry planned and selected conversion materials per pantry set-up and distribution style including box crate displays, stackable produce bins and literature displays. They also added nudges to help promote healthy food items throughout the pantry such as nutrition handouts, recipe and produce cards and posters. The procurement and delivery of fresh produce from Second Harvest Food Bank was improved and the pantry now gets regular deliveries of fresh produce.

Wesleyville Interfaith Food Pantry plans to continue to add and develop the different components of the PA HPI program at their site such as staff nutrition education classes on chronic disease and basic nutrition, developing key list and materials of non-food community resources to distribute to clients, and developing specific nutrition policies to help improve their inventory of healthy food items. They plan to establish a series of tasting and cooking demo events and nutrition education presentation for their clients in the coming year.

“The addition of the PA HPI nudges, shelf-talkers, conversion materials, and the increase in fresh produce was positively received by pantry staff and clients. The crate displays and the produce bins have been a valuable addition to the pantry. They were simple to set-up and breakdown per the pantry space used. The conversion materials also produced attractive displays that prompted clients to select fresh produce more often. The inclusion of various nutrition education materials has likewise made providing key education to clients easier. This will help this population to make better food selections and positively impact the reduction of chronic diseases in the community.” Debbie Speice, pantry coordinator Wesleyville Interfaith Food Pantry.