The 35,000 people who use a network of church-run food pantries in the UK are saving up to \u00a31000 a year on groceries, research from Church Action on Poverty has found.<\/p>\n
The findings, which also suggest that the scheme improves mental health and well-being, are set out in the social-impact report Your Local Pantry: So much more! published on Tuesday \u2014 the day that the network opened its 100th pantry in Aylesham, Kent.<\/p>\n
Members of Your Local Pantry, co-ordinated by the charity Church Action on Poverty, pay a set fee of between \u00a33.50 and \u00a37 a week for ten grocery items of their choosing from their local pantry. Items are colour coded to promote a balanced diet.<\/p>\n
These pantries are often held in church buildings and set out like a regular supermarket \u2014 different to a foodbank. This system works on the values of \u201cdignity, choice, and hope\u201d, including by reducing the stigma of asking for help, the report says.<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n Food pantries offer all-round benefits, Church Action on Poverty finds https:\/\/t.co\/Mh0bmMLsF0<\/a><\/p>\n — Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 19, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n