Are Food Pantries the New Grocery Stores for Multi-Generational Families with Children? Disparities in Emergency Food Assistance Reliance Based on Household Composition

Abstract

ABSTRACT We analyzed county food pantry use data for 2019 and 2020 (n = 1,169,568 pantry visits) to explore differences in pantry use among four types of households determined by the presence of seniors and/or children. Our results show that household composition had a significant (p < .001) impact on food pantry utilization, with multi-generational families with children’s pantry reliance per year higher than any other group in both 2019 and 2020. The constant high pantry usage of these families suggests chronic food need among families with seniors and children including grandfamilies and highlights the need for tailored interventions.