Service Learning EPortfolio: ABCD Food Pantry
Service Learning EPortfolio:
Action for Boston Community Development
Tayler Frees, Rebecca Scheldrup, Saeed Alkhoori
ABCD Overview
Mission
The Action for Boston Community Development is a non-profit that helps those in the greater Boston area. The ABCD provides tools and resources to help those transition from poverty. It is also considered as the largest non-profit human services agency in the New England region.
Locations Served
Allston/Brighton Mattapan
Boston Roslindale
Charlestown Roxbury
Dorchester South Boston
East Boston South End
Malden
General Services
Career Developement Food
Children Health
Education Housing
Elders Immigration
Essentials Youth
Financial
Why a Story Map?
Story maps like the one above illustrate the environment of an organizaton. As we see above, ABCD is surrounded by some food options, but options decrease for those without the ability to pay or access to transportation. The food options closest to ABCD are restaurants and convenience stores, limiting access to fresh produce.
"If you don’t have food to make it through the day and are worried about what tomorrow brings, tap into the ABCD network of neighborhood food pantry sites for access to healthy food. We’re here to ensure that no family faces a food emergency alone. Leave the food pantry with non-perishables (cereal, rice, and canned tomatoes, for example) fresh produce, and more, as well as referrals to long-term support services to help your family overcome hunger for good." - ABCD
Food Pantry Hours
Monday: 11am to 4pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10am to 4pm
Thursday: 10am to 2pm
Friday: 10am to 4pm
Interested clients have to call the food pantry closest to them to get their name on the list for the next pickup opportunity. Numbers are listed to the right.
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Food Pantry Logic Model
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The ABCD food pantry operates as an emergency-relief model for those experiencing food insecurity. They focus on immediate outcomes and decreasing current food insecurities in the Allston-Brighton area. The mid and long-term outcomes are a result of increased access to food, though not necessarily the food pantry's main priority.
Politics, ,Production Model,& Approach Examination
Adam Caar
Developer
Use this space to introduce yourself and share your professional history.
The ABCD food pantry that we worked with followed the reformist approach to the food crisis, focusing on food security. Customers can receive up to two bags of food once every 30 days. While they can request which items they want to omit from the bag, the selection of products does not vary from the predominantly-dry products provided in the bags.
Reformist
Service Learning Experience
What We Did
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Fill bags for clients: usually 2 bags per customer
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Make special bag orders for customers with specific needs/wants
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Restock pantry
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Reorganize boxes/food in the pantry to make it more accessible to volunteers
Team Roles & Rules
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Task Coordinator: Saeed Alkhoori
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Communications: Rebecca Scheldrup
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Note-taker: Tayler Frees
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Schedule Manager: Saeed Alkhoori
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Group Rules:
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Be respectful of everyone's time
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Arrive on time
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Go in with open-mindset
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Stay ahead of classwork
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Service-Learning Hour Log
Tayler Frees:
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July 25, 10:00am - 1:30pm
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August 4, 11:00am - 1:30pm
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August 12, 10:00am - 1:30pm
Rebecca Scheldrup:
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July 22, 10:00am - 1:30pm
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July 28, 10:00am - 1:30pm
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August 4, 10:00am - 1:30pm
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August 11, 10:00am - 1:30pm
Saeed Alkhoori:
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July 22, 10:30am-2:00pm
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July 28, 12:00pm-3:30pm
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August 4, 11:45am-2:40pm
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August 11, 11:00am-2:35pm
Reflections
Tayler's Week 1-6 Reflections
Week 3:
I spoke with both Laura and Audrey, and we discussed the materials that would be needed as well as the hours I would be working per week/what days I would be working. We also discussed deadlines for the mural as well. We also spoke about if there were any design requirements, the style, color, vibe, etc. they wanted to present with the mural. I learned that there's a lot of background planning that goes into a mural, I originally thought it would be a few emails back and forth and then getting ready to go.
Week 4:
The Action for Boston Community Development seeks to bring high quality and healthy food to families who need help obtaining them due to a multitude of reasons. They work with farms, food suppliers, etc. to obtain mass food so that everyone who comes in gets multiples of each food item they hand out. This also allows for a variety of food being given out as well. They also have other programs besides the food pantry that work with families and give them resources for things like housing, job applications, etc.
Week 5:
I've learned how food banks operate on a more business/behind the scenes level in organizing pickup times, registering people, and the paperwork needed to be able to continually pick up at a food bank. Something that's been different from what I expected was the amount of food and what kind of food we were going to be giving out. A lot of the food banks I've been to may not also have the most healthy food, and most don't even have produce or meat or dairy to give out like the ABCD does. I would love to change the pickup regularity within the organization. Participants can only pick up once every 30 days, and I would love for that to maybe be changed to every two weeks.
Week 6:
The service experience I've had has shown how hard it is to access healthy and fresh food for many people within the Boston area and through America, and the world as well. It's easy to assume that many people live within walking distance or close enough to a grocery store, but many people live in food apartheid places in which getting to a grocery store requires public transportation (which is unreliable in Boston currently). After doing the service work, I think that the university could and should help more of the surrounding communities, as well as its own students who may be experiencing food insecurity, and Northeastern has more than enough money and resources to accomplish that.
Conclusions
Overall, we loved working with the ABCD and helping them provide food to those who are not able to easily access fresh and healthy food. The ABCD also helps the community by providing help in housing, careers, childcare, financial, immigration and much more. The food pantry the ABCD of Allston/Brighton has built is an astounding resource for the community around them. While the food bank is limited by the once-a-month pickup for participants, as well as an extensive sign-up process, the ABCD is helping spread awareness of food insecurity and how hard it can be to obtain fresh produce and healthy food for people.
Food insecurity is a major problem for many in the Greater Boston Area. The ABCD is aiding those who experience food insecurity by providing free healthy, fresh food and produce that they may not be able to obtain on their own. In their own words, the ABCD wants to help those "move from poverty to stability, and from stability to success".