Examination of Emergency Food Supply and Distribution in Pennsylvania

Abstract

According to Feeding America, over 10 percent of Pennsylvanians are food insecure, meaning they lack access to adequate and affordable food. Determining how Pennsylvania’s emergency food network can best meet residents’ needs is essential to mitigating food insecurity. This study examines the strengths and challenges faced by the emergency food network in meeting the needs of residents, particularly those in rural areas. We collected and analyzed survey, interview, and observational data from a sample of 22 food banks, 35 of these food banks’ “partner agencies” (e.g., food pantries, soup kitchens), and 65 residents served by these partner agencies. This report outlines the major findings of this study. Residents overwhelmingly report positive experiences with emergency food assistance. Accessing food through this network reduces their experience of food insecurity. However, food banks and their partner agencies face several challenges in adequately reaching rural residents, including insufficient infrastructure, transportation, volunteer base, and quality and quantity of emergency food. Due to these challenges, many service recipients remain underserved, meaning they continue to experience food insecurity despite accessing services. Additionally, many food-insecure people—especially older adults, veterans, children, non-English speakers, the unhoused, and those in the most remote rural areas—remain entirely unserved. We highlight innovations employed by food banks to overcome these challenges and provide policy recommendations for state and local governments.