Food insecurity occurs when meal possibilities within a household are limited, making it challenging to live a healthy lifestyle. This issue is most common among low-income families. As a business owner, you might plan to donate food to address this problem and help your community, but it can be hard to know where to start. Get inspired and determine your next steps with the guide below.

3 Options for Dealing With Community Food Insecurity

1. Work With the Local Food Pantry

There are different ways to give back to your community. One approach is to organize an event at your business that encourages your team to donate food. Staff can also participate by making financial contributions. 

To ensure the success of your company's food drive, remember to clarify what items will be accepted. You should also set a clear goal of how much you wish to donate.

2. Volunteer When Possible

Volunteering your own time to help others in your neighborhood will be good for business. Because it shows employees and clients that you care about the community, your staff will be more likely to participate in food drives, and your brand will be perceived as caring. To volunteer, see if the local food pantry needs help. Depending on how much free time you have, you could volunteer with more than one nonprofit business. 

3. Contact Your Local Representatives

Urging your local and state representatives to do more about food insecurity could push them to take action. Encourage them to move forward with initiatives that make healthy food more widely accessible, such as raising the minimum wage and increasing funding for food banks. 

Call and email your representatives, or find them on Twitter to discuss what they can do. It also helps to talk about new places to donate food, such as inviting neighborhood businesses to set up small, non-perishable food banks that you and other volunteers collect when full.

Get your business involved in helping your community by working with Shepherd's Pantry. Serving Glendora, Irwindale, La Puente, and the surrounding areas in California, this local nonprofit welcomes volunteers and provides many other resources for those who need them, such as counseling and clothing assistance. Call (626) 852-7630 today to discuss what you can do, or visit the website to find out where you can donate food today.