Being a System Rebel...

Being a system rebel is not for the faint of heart. We know this first hand around here. I want to share a perspective that is something we've been talking about for years....but is rarely discussed in nonprofit work….what our work means for taxpaying citizens. And what the nonprofit IS GIVING BACK to the people that are supporting this work.

We're going to let you in on a secret. Food lockers aren’t just fancy programming—they’re actually a necessity.

80% of the people we serve are working local families (the other 20% are retired that inflation has really hit hard). Many are caregivers, educators, delivery drivers, and essential workers—the backbone of our community. They’re also the ones contributing the most from each paycheck to fund the government subsidized food that fills our entire nation's food banks.

And yet, when they need help, traditional systems often don’t work for them. The majority of food pantries are open for small windows of time in the middle of the workday. Can you imagine if grocery stores were like this? How much chaos and hardship this would create for the American consumer?

Our refrigerated lockers are open 24/7, offering dignified, anonymous, and flexible access. They are not just a good use of taxpayer funds.....they are serving taxpayers that have not historically had access to the foods they pay for.

Simply put, the lockers were designed to work for the people holding the system together. A system they have paid for dearly over the years.

The photo is of Amanda, our delivery driver, filling up our Buckley lockers at 7:30am. This location is filled 3 times daily because we have customers that pick up before work, on their lunch breaks, and right after work at this particular site.