Skills You Wouldn’t Expect to Learn at a Food Pantry

Hi everyone, it’s JOIN intern, Audra! It is crazy to think that I only have one week left at Yad Ezra. I have learned so much in my time here that today I wanted to talk about the skills you wouldn’t expect to learn at a food pantry.

Organization

When I first started to think of skills that a person wouldn’t expect to learn at a food pantry, organization was the first thing that came to mind.

Looking at the warehouse, every single food item that volunteers shop for is extremely organized. Everything has its place, and the order in which it’s in the warehouse is the order it is on the shopping list, making it an organized experience for volunteers. Even in the back of the warehouse where everything is stored, it is very organized. This makes it easy for staff members to keep track of inventory.

From an administrative standpoint, I have noticed that everything is also well organized digitally. For the food pantry to operate successfully, every file must have its place since there is so much data and information that we work with.

Additionally, Yad Ezra has an in-house accountant, Heather. When dealing with confidential and financial information, it is essential that everything is organized. When you think of a food pantry, I doubt the first thing that comes to mind is accounting, but other staff members and I have learned a lot about the importance of organization from the accounting systems in place, which we have been able to apply to other areas of the organization.

Communication

Communication is a HUGE skill that is learned when working at a food pantry. When working in client-facing roles, there are times where there might be a language barrier. Even just having a smile on your face and asking how their day is going lets a client know that we care about them.

Throughout the building where clients are present, physical communication is very clear with informational signs that are put on the walls as well.

Even over the phone, communication is important. Every day I hear our staff members speak to clients, donors, or other companies. For some, especially myself, it can be nerve-wracking to talk on the phone, but with practice it becomes easier.

Last week, we had to call clients to let them know that our serving session was closed due to the weather. I offered to help make phone calls. During my first few calls I stuttered a bit, but as I kept making more calls, I spoke more confidently and it became easier.

Active Listening

Active listening is an important skill that is learned at a food pantry that ties into communication, especially when working with clients. I have worked on computers during the serving sessions a few times when I have gotten to interact with clients. Before they head out to their car, I would stamp their card, which has the date that they can return next month. In some cases, a client will ask to come sooner than the return date. In these situations, I have learned that it is important to listen to the client’s needs and try our best to accommodate them.
Adding on, when serving sessions have been busy and clients have questions or concerns, our staff members do their best to give them their full attention and listen to them.

Problem Solving

Many people think food pantries are just places that distribute food to those in need, but a lot of problem-solving comes with that.

As I mentioned earlier in this blog, last week we had to cancel a serving session due to the weather. Our staff had to think on their feet about how to approach this issue. I, along with other interns, helped make phone calls to clients to inform them of the cancellation. It happened to be a Thursday, which meant our garden distribution program was also canceled. The garden staff helped to bag up the fresh produce so clients could receive it at the following serving session on Sunday.

Small pivots like these are ways that we can adapt to unexpected occurrences.

Behind the scenes, a food pantry takes organization, clear communication, active listening, and quick problem solving to keep everything running smoothly and to make sure clients feel cared for. These are the kind of skills that translate well beyond a food pantry and are a reminder of much thought goes into serving a community.