There are times when you may need to supplement your food supply with pantry food. This could be as a result of unavoidable circumstances such as job loss, financial constraints, unusually high bills, and several other issues. You may think about going to a food pantry, or you may get such suggestions from your friends. Although it used to look very unusual, it is no longer the case now. Your household could be facing food shortage and food pantry could be your best shot at the moment. If it is your first time visiting a food pantry, you may not know what to look for, or ways of stretching the amount of food you will receive there.
First, you need to be aware about the pantries and kitchens that are located near to you. There are websites which list all the pantries hence you can do a search and find their actual locations. The different pantries differ in terms of size and food varieties because they receive different amounts of funding. You can go to different food pantries throughout the month and you will get the food for your family. There are other places where the food pantries are mobile, and they visit different communities at different times. You need to contact community representatives so that you can know when and where the mobile food pantry will be.
You should also use as many food pantries and kitchens as possible. When you try different food pantries and kitchens, there are high chances of getting different food varieties which is a good thing. The type of food you will find in one food bank will not be similar to the food available in the other food pantries. For example, a certain food bank may contract local gardeners to supply them with their extra foodstuffs. This will mean that this food bank will have more than the others. Whereas you can go to different food pantries at different times of the month, you need to understand the rules and regulations in those pantries. For instance, each food pantry has specific times and dates when you can seek for help from them.
Finally, you need to get to the food pantry as early as possible. Provided you know the date and time when the pantries will be offering food, you should get there earlier. This will give you an opportunity to be first in the line. When you are among the first people to be served, you will be able to get all the foods, including those that are available in smaller quantities, and which are sought after by many people. You shouldn't come too early such that you wait for long before the food is served. Instead, you should come an hour early, depending on the size of the food pantry, and the number of people who usually seek for the same help. You should never forget to carry your identification documents and other crucial documents. This is because, the food banks must be able to identify you and ensure that you come from that community.