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When Leah* visited the Catholic Charities Food Pantry for the first time, she was greeted by staff and invited to the Welcome Center to set up her pantry membership.  

Warehouse Coordinator Mark Smith-Vandergriff (left), Food Programs Coordinator, Lori Stoll (center), and Food Program Specialist, Diane Elam (center), are three of the friendly faces you can expect to see when visiting the Catholic Charities Food Pantry.

When Leah* visited the Catholic Charities Food Pantry for the first time, she was greeted by staff and invited to the Welcome Center to set up her pantry membership.  

“When neighbors visit the pantry for the first time, they sometimes feel hesitant or apprehensive about learning our system,” said Food Programs Coordinator, Lori Stoll, “creating a welcoming atmosphere is important to us, so we look for ways to help them feel welcome and valued from the very start.”  

Catholic Charities’ client-choice food pantry aims to bring people into food security by enrolling them in a membership that allocates each household a number of points to shop with as frequently as they are able. With four shifts every week, and hours into the evening and weekends, members quickly become familiar with how to shop and enjoy opportunities for fresh produce, dairy, and protein. They also enjoy engaging with their community. 

In just a few weeks, the pantry became a comforting routine for Leah. Where she had expected transaction, she found welcome. The grocery-style layout invited her to choose items she needed, and even some she wanted. With familiarity came relationship, both with staff and volunteers, and other neighbors visiting the pantry. 

“When Leah came to the pantry, she was kind, and personable, and she loved to see fresh fruits and vegetables on the shelves,” Lori shared. 

Creating a positive atmosphere and building relationships with pantry members is a priority for staff and volunteers in the pantry. That can be as simple as a cheerful welcome or greeting a neighbor by name – other times it’s remembering a special way to accommodate a family’s needs.  

Leah and her neighbors struggled with water quality, often preferring not to drink or cook with tap water. When Lori and her staff had bottled water on hand, they would set aside portions for Leah to add to her cart.   

“When visitors here are seen, and when they want to share their joy with us, that’s when we know this is built on more than just food – this is building community.” 

– LORI STOLL

“That made a difference,” Lori recalled, “she said to me, ‘you remembered about the water’ and it really meant something that she felt seen.”  

During one pantry visit, Leah told Lori she’d be starting a new job soon, one that she knew was a great opportunity. The Catholic Charities staff celebrated with her, sharing in her excitement.  

“It is really something to feel that through our pantry we were able to have a small part in these people’s lives,” Lori said, “when visitors here are seen, and when they want to share their joy with us, that’s when we know this is built on more than just food – this is building community.”