In the past three years, the Food Pantry at Temple University Hospital-Episcopal Campus has expanded its services to provide fresh produce and staple foods to local residents in need. The program has become a significant resource for many people in the community.
Racquel Williams, Community Program Coordinator, explained, “A lot of people are working hard, but still figuring things out day-by-day. It takes a huge weight off their shoulders to know they and their family can rely on us for a week’s worth of food.”
The Food Pantry recently assumed responsibility for Temple’s Food Delivery Program, which delivers groceries to qualifying families in North Philadelphia. Patrick Vulgamore, MPH, Director of Addiction Medicine Services, stated, “Last year, we served over 55,000 people across both programs.”
To address increasing demand, the pantry underwent an expansion that tripled its size. Funding from sources including the City of Philadelphia, W.W. Smith Charitable Trust, The Barra Foundation, and the Good Food, Healthy Hospitals Program has supported these efforts.
Vulgamore noted the impact of this support: “This is a testament to the difference the Food Pantry is making in our community. With these investments, we can broaden our reach to serve even more of those in need.”
Much of the pantry’s inventory comes from the Share Food Program. According to Vulgamore: “The Share Food Program started working with us after we’d only been open for four months. They dramatically increased the amount of food—and the different options—we were able to offer. Once we had a more diverse selection of food, community members really started showing up.”
George Matysik, Executive Director of Share Food Program, said: “Episcopal has been an amazing partner for us and for its community, which is one where we’re seeing rising need. They’re especially effective at using food as a gateway to connect people to other wraparound services.”
One such service is Episcopal’s Diabetes Prevention Program offering nutrition education classes before pantry hours begin. Vulgamore explained: “When people come to the Food Pantry, they can get fresh produce and nutritious food that will keep them healthy, and we can also sign them up for those classes. The classes meet right before the pantry opens, so it’s a great incentive for them to keep coming back for education.”
Reflecting on early outreach efforts for the pantry’s launch and growth through word-of-mouth recommendations among neighbors and friends, Vulgamore recalled: “In the early days of the pantry, I was spreading the word by handing out flyers at neighboring houses and local pharmacies… That got people in initially… once they started going home with groceries that lasted them a week… things really picked up.”
He added about launching operations: “We partnered with national food rescue nonprofit Sharing Excess, who showed us that the best way to start running a food pantry is to just get out there and do it… Providing our neighbors with easily accessible nutritious options is crucial…”
Temple Health employees and local volunteers staff Episcopal’s Food Pantry every Tuesday afternoon. Vulgamore described his experience: “Being here is a joyous experience. We just got eggs for the first time in a few weeks… This is such an important resource—and it shows how Episcopal is a trusted partner in community health.”
