The Food Pantry at St. Gregory's

There’s no single magic formula that can tell you how to run a food pantry; our strong belief is that the most lasting programs are those designed and run by the people who use them, in response to actual community needs. We know that each community is different, so we encourage you, as a first step, to talk to people about what they need, and what kinds of programs they are looking for.

If you’re in the United States, you then can visit Feeding America, which is the national network of food banks (central distribution points that provide food to pantries and other food programs, at very low cost.) You can type in your zip code and find the food bank nearest you: they will tell you about specific policies, requirements, and issues in your area, and help you with all the logistics of setting up a pantry where you are.

We also encourage you to visit other pantries and food programs in your community, and ask them to talk with you frankly about what works, what doesn’t work, what they wish they could change. If you’re in San Francisco, we welcome you to visit The Food Pantry–just email us and set up a date to visit. We are glad to share our experiences, and, if you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, help you with advice and training.