Fox Cities Chamber: OACP Adapts As It Continues To Meet A Need In Our Community

Appleton WI

27 May, 2022

11:05 AM

Description

Press release from the Fox Cities Chamber: May 26, 2022 The Oshkosh Area Community Pantry (OACP) has long served the community as a primary source of food security in southern Winnebago County. Since its formation in 2008, OACP has remained steady in its mission to eliminate food insecurity by adapting and changing processes to continue to meet the needs of guests in a way that allows for dignity and respect. At inception, OACP instituted a point-based choice pantry system where guests were allotted a budget of points to spend, based on family size. In 2022, OACP replaced its points-based shopping system with an open choice pantry system. This change means OACP guests no longer have to budget their points for each shop. Instead, there are limits on certain food items that aren't in consistent supply; but, overall, OACP has been able to change their message to "take what you need, use what you take." The open choice experience is unlike a traditional food pantry approach by allowing both a range of food choices and an opportunity for healthy social interaction among its guests, volunteers, and staff. This change has been instrumental in ensuring that those facing food insecurity in our community are able to access foods that are nutritious without experiencing additional barriers. Throughout 2021, OACP served an average of 1,221 households or just under 3,000 people a month totaling almost 1,200,000 pounds of food distributed for the year. While pantry usage last year remained consistent with 2020, already in 2022, it is experiencing an increase of households and total people served by 28%. Additionally, it has seen an increase of new registrants by 103%. "With rising food costs, record high inflation, and uncertainties with post pandemic FoodShare benefits, we are expecting to continue to see an increase in guests facing food insecurity in our community," says Executive Director, Ryan Rasmussen. It is OACP's intent to increase the number of shops per household each month (currently at two). "As an organization, we understand that our guests know their family's needs better than we do. It is our hope to be able to provide our guests with a shopping experience that is flexible and accommodating to their life and needs," said Rasmussen. OACP is open for guest shopping at their location in the Saint Vincent de Paul building at 2551 Jackson Street in Oshkosh, Mondays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. If you or someone you know is facing food insecurity, please contact OACP by calling 920-651-9960 or emailing [email protected] for more information. For anyone who would like to support OACP's mission to strive to eliminate food insecurity as a volunteer, as a donor of food or as a donor of funds, visit oacptoday.org or call 920-651-9960 for more information. This press release was produced by the Fox Cities Chamber. The views expressed here are the author's own.