Your first visit to a food pantry

Pantries are located in many cities and neighborhoods and most only require photo ID, household size, and a signature (typically electronic) as well as a self-declaration of income.

If your household income falls below 200% of the federal poverty line , then you are income-eligible to receive food from a food pantry.

A food pantry is a program that distributes perishable and/or shelf-stable food and other products directly to those in need.

Each pantry will have their own procedures, but here are some general tips on how to prepare for your first visit:

Call ahead : You will need to know when the pantry is open for service and what documents are needed to receive food. They can also tell you if there are specific requirements for their program.

Expect to be treated with dignity and respect : All food bank partner pantry staff/volunteers are held to a high standard under Civil Rights Training guidelines.

While each pantry is different, they all strive to provide a well-balanced amount of nutritious food that typically includes: dairy, grains, proteins, meats, and fruits & vegetables – all similar to what you would find in grocery stores.

Our friendly pantry partners can provide at least three days’ worth of food per household, at least once a month.

All of our food pantry partners offer a minimum of 3 – 5 days of food for each member of a household.

There is a wide variety of items that pantries can provide, but since they rely on state and federal food supplies, some food items are not always available throughout the month.

Choice models allow our neighbors to choose their own food and gives the people being served a sense of dignity and control, limits waste and allows them to tailor the food they receive to their household needs.

For emergency food assistance, please call the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s Help Center at 216-738-2067.

Some of our food pantry partners across our 6-county service area may still offer drive-thru style distributions, and our Help Center team can connect you to one near you.

If you need help outside of just food and food resources, you can dial 2-1-1 from United Way to learn more about health and human service agencies in your community.