Powerlessness, Gratitude, Shame, and Dignity: Emotional Experiences of Food Pantry Clients

What qualitative research can tell us about food and nutrition security in the UK and why we should pay attention to what it is telling us

“…Consequently, we may think that food banks have lost some of the previously reported stigma (92) , since the COVID pandemic when they became a lifeline to many. However, no matter how sensitively food parcels are given out, the notion of using one still evokes a sense of shame, embarrassment and resistance (67,93) ; and related to this, whilst food banks have grown in number and have importance as a societal coping strategy, they are still only an indication of a much bigger, hidden problem, as some people will choose not to use a food bank regardless of the extent of their food crisis (88) .…”

Food Security and Wellbeing Project Evaluation 2022 -2023

“…Food Banks were often used by those with physical and mental health comorbidities and those experiencing complex and situational poverty such as impacts from higher costs of living and domestic violence (MacLeod et al, 2019;Mungai et al, 2020;Rivera et al, 2021), however, one study identified that food insecurity did not discriminate on neighbourhood or client demographics (Schramski et al, 2023). Shame and stigma of accessing the service were highlighted in the global literature, with some clients highlighting that they did not have the physical resources or food literacy to prepare food themselves (Hill & Guittar, 2023;Long et al, 2023;Pritt et al, 2018;Thompson et al, 2018). Research suggested that clients using traditional methods of food relief (food pantries) were more concerned with survival than nutrition compared to those engaged in alternative food relief opportunities (community gardens and people's kitchens) (Roncarolo, Adam, et al, 2016;.…”

Implementing a campus food pantry in the US: Strategies for operations and marketing communications

“…In food pantries, recipients of aid often experience shame when interactions with volunteers leads users to see themselves as lower in the social hierarchy (Van der Horst et al, 2014). The act of requesting help and acknowledging one's own hunger can result in a feeling of powerlessness and a lack of dignity (Hill & Guittar, 2023), which is often reinforced when food pantries treat the recipients with a lack of respect in their operations: by serving expired food or unappetizing choices, having inconvenient hours, and operating with untrained staff or volunteers (Vissing et al, 2017).…”