Food pantries and soup kitchens

[lil_miss_understood]

All right. So I believe we've discussed this before.
What is being done in your community to help those who are in a bad way financially and dealing with food allergies? Does your local food pantry offer a gluten-free or other allergen-free option?
What are YOU doing to try to make it happen?
I was thinking today that the least we could do, as a community (albeit a community divided by large distances) is to commit to buying an allergen-free item of choice (every month, every week?) and donating it to the local food bank. We could also call our food banks/pantries and advocate for an allergen free option to be made available.
I think it would also be a great idea to perhaps start a thread specifically stating resources for those who may be in such a situation.
Thoughts and opinions greatly appreciated!

[lil_miss_understood]

Well, I just sent an email off to my local pantry inquiring as to the whether assistance would be available if a family with special dietary requirements were to need it. I'm looking forward to their response.
Would anyone else be willing to commit to buying and donating one food item per month with me?

[changingseasons]

I suck, and have done nothing. But I think this is a fantastic idea, and I swear I will look into my local banks next week!

Ok, I'm really going to bed now.

[mamafish9]

Here's an interesting article http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10161/1064336-34.stm

Suggests food banks aren't getting a lot of this kind of request - I don't know whether it's because people assume they can't get allergy free foods, or because knowledge of food allergies tends to track with socio-economic status (better celiac diagnosis for kids in wealthier families, for example).

One thing I'd imagine might be useful is to make food banks a list of foods that are naturally free of the top 9. I know they have lots of rice and beans, for example (it's one of the foods they specifically ask for around here).

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by mamafish9

Here's an interesting article http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10161/1064336-34.stm

Suggests food banks aren't getting a lot of this kind of request - I don't know whether it's because people assume they can't get allergy free foods, or because knowledge of food allergies tends to track with socio-economic status (better celiac diagnosis for kids in wealthier families, for example).

One thing I'd imagine might be useful is to make food banks a list of foods that are naturally free of the top 9. I know they have lots of rice and beans, for example (it's one of the foods they specifically ask for around here).

Awesome idea! Thanks, Deb!

[lil_miss_understood]

I got a response from the Florence (Oregon) Food Pantry today. Their response was that they do keep a specialty foods area (gluten free, sugar free and nutritional supplements) but, since they are a walk-through, shopping-style pantry, she couldn't be certain if there were any needs which weren't/aren't being met. And of course encouraged me to make donations.
So that is encouraging. I kind of wish I could go down there and assess things for myself though. (I know, control issues much? )

[momofmine]

It seems like there should be a way to kind of "hold" those items for people who need them. But I don't know how that would work, and then maybe they would expire. I guess, with our allergies, we just don't eat a lot of boxed type foods that the food pantries take anyway. On a good note though, we have a volunteer farm here that donates fresh produce to the local food banks. Volunteers go and harvest the vegetables, and right now there is a lot.

[kjbrown92]

I'm part of our local Junior Women's Club, and we support our town's food pantry. I asked the question last year, and asked our liaison to tell the pantry that if there's a request, to contact me. So far, nothing.