What is a Green Light Pantry?
Every year, nearly 500,000 people in Philadelphia turn to food pantries for help. In 2013, the Coalition Against Hunger launched two Green Light Pantries, a new kind of food pantry focused on promoting healthy eating while helping families put food on the table.
Unlike most other food pantries, these Green Light Pantries provide only highly nutritious food to their clients. Pantry members also take part in monthly nutrition workshops and receive other services.
What Food is Served?
Each month, clients can choose among green light foods available, including fresh fruits and vegetables, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, low-sugar cereals, nonfat milk and lean proteins such as chicken, fish, eggs and beans.
Items typically found at other food pantries (e.g. mac and cheese, canned soups high in sodium.) are not carried.
Are There Other Benefits?
Green Light Pantry clients also receive:
- Free monthly nutrition education workshops
- Free medical screenings
- Assistance applying for SNAP (food stamps) and other nutrition programs
- Referrals to other programs that can help them afford to eat healthy
- Convenient hours for working families
Where are the Green Light Pantries?
There are currently two Green Light Pantries in Philadelphia:
- Drueding Center, the first transitional housing and comprehensive support program in Philadelphia, serves more than 400 homeless and formerly homeless families per year through transitional housing, case management, and a licensed child care center. Drueding Center builds lives and renews hope by working with homeless women and their children to create two generations of self-reliant adults
- Casa del Carmen serves the North Philadelphia Latino and immigrant population with bilingual services, including case management and family support services. Casa del Carmen's Green Light Pantry is operated separately from its existing food pantry, which serves 250 families.
How Can I Get Involved?
- Make a contribution to support our efforts to provide healthy food and nutrition education to low-income communities in Philadelphia!
- Host a healthy food drive! If you are a business, school or organization interested in donating "Green Light" foods, contact Tanya Thampi-Sen to coordinate at 215-430-0555 x. 1101 or tsen@hungercoalition.org
