Current Use and Demand for Digital Tools to Enhance Food Pantry Management: Findings from a Nationwide Survey

Samantha Sundermeir; Nina Martin; Lisa Poirier; Melissa Reznar; Daniel Barnett; Alessandra Uriarte; Jennifer Stephenson; Emma Lewis; Mika Matsuzaki; Joel Gittelsohn

doi:10.1080/19320248.2023.2228728

Current Use and Demand for Digital Tools to Enhance Food Pantry Management: Findings from a Nationwide Survey

Samantha Sundermeir, Nina Martin, Lisa Poirier, Melissa Reznar, Daniel Barnett, Alessandra Uriarte, Jennifer Stephenson, Emma Lewis, Mika Matsuzaki, Joel Gittelsohn

Bloomberg School of Public Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The objective of this study was to define the types of digital tools currently used and desired by food pantries for pantry management. A nationwide online survey of U.S. food pantries was conducted by searching the foodpantries.org database. Surveys were sent via e-mail and completed using Google Forms. The most desired food pantry app/software features included staff and volunteer scheduling (49.2%); inventory management (42.1%); communicating with volunteers and staff (35.7%); client registration at the pantry (35.4%); and tracking pantry statistics (33.7%). Overall, food pantry staff and volunteers desire access to digital tools related to both staff/volunteer and client management.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	938-951
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition
Volume	19
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2023.2228728
State	Published - 2024

Keywords

Food pantry
charitable food system
client choice
digital tools
food assistance

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health(social science)
Nutrition and Dietetics
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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10.1080/19320248.2023.2228728

Cite this

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abstract = "The objective of this study was to define the types of digital tools currently used and desired by food pantries for pantry management. A nationwide online survey of U.S. food pantries was conducted by searching the foodpantries.org database. Surveys were sent via e-mail and completed using Google Forms. The most desired food pantry app/software features included staff and volunteer scheduling (49.2%); inventory management (42.1%); communicating with volunteers and staff (35.7%); client registration at the pantry (35.4%); and tracking pantry statistics (33.7%). Overall, food pantry staff and volunteers desire access to digital tools related to both staff/volunteer and client management.",

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AU - Barnett, Daniel

AU - Uriarte, Alessandra

AU - Stephenson, Jennifer

AU - Lewis, Emma

AU - Matsuzaki, Mika

AU - Gittelsohn, Joel

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Current Use and Demand for Digital Tools to Enhance Food Pantry Management: Findings from a Nationwide Survey

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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