Text For Food, Columbus Pantries Expand Mobile Scheduling

For the hungry in some Columbus neighborhoods, emergency food supplies will be only a text away. The city will spend $135,000 to help to create a mobile scheduling program for selected food pantries. As Rick Myers leaves the Lutheran Social Services food pantry at Frebis and South Champion Avenues, he carries two plastic bags full of dry goods, fresh fruit and vegetables and some nutrition bars. Several of his pockets are also stuffed with food. "I'll probably make it stretch for about a week, maybe a week and a half," says Myers. "I always get stuff that lasts long like when you get a long spaghetti you just take a handful and crack it and then you've got a bowl of soup. Put some stuff with it, onions and stuff and you've got a nice little bowl of soup." Myers is among the small group that used a phone text message to schedule his appointment at the southside pantry. "Because you just text them and then go back to work or doing what you're doing and then sooner or later you get a text back and it makes it a lot easier," Myers says. Next year, text and webchat will be more widely available for pantries in Linden, Franklinton, and on the South Side. Columbus and Franklin County have an agreement with the agency, Hands On Central Ohio, to fund and support the technology. Brad Draper, Director of Food Pantry Services at Lutheran Social Services says the electronic scheduling will help get more food to the needy. "From our perspective the biggest advantage to this is that it removes a barrier to service," Draper says. Draper adds that the digital divide has been narrowed. He says 'the vast majority' of people who use food pantries also now have access to cell phones or computers. "....If somebody were to walk in and not have access to anything we're going to make sure people don't go hungry," says Draper. Myers, for instance, uses a subsidized cell phone for his personal use. "Well, government phones are only $26.50 per month," Myers says. "You can pick cans up and make that much money." Draper says Myers, like most others who use food pantries, are not regular visitors. Using the emergency food supplies only in a crisis. The pantry at Champion and Frebis is among eight pantries that have been under-used. In other words, people in need often are not aware of their services. The phone-based scheduling system is designed to boost that awareness. Myers says he just discovered the pantry about a month ago. "About a month I've been using it. I didn't know it was here or what it was until I decided to stop in and ask them what they're doing here. (laughter) I said yeah this is pretty good because usually I'd have to go all the way downtown or the Short North to one of them churches down there if it gets slow," Myers says Myers details cars during the warm months of the year. He uses food pantries during cold months. "Yeah, yeah, I struggle," Myers admits. Now, during those times of struggle, Myers can text the neighborhood pantry when he's out of food. Backers say the electronic scheduling for pantry visits will increase access to emergency food services by 25 percent.