Welcoming In-Market Shoppers Once Again

Last March, Bluffton Self Help pivoted operations overnight in order to keep our neighbors, staff, volunteers and community safe. It was important that Bluffton Self Help remained open to help neighbors when they needed it most. The Drive-thru Pantry became a lifeline for hundreds of households each week – 40% of the vehicles that lined up around the building had never asked for help before. These neighbors continue to be faced with impossible choices of how to spend their scarce dollars. The Wellness Food Pantry assisted more than 50% of our community living paycheck to paycheck to stretch their budgets. “Neighbors who utilize the pantry can save around $75 a week on their grocery bill. Those funds can then be used elsewhere in their household budget. With the new market layout, we want neighbors to feel comfortable coming into our pantry. The goal is to make the shopping experience similar to how it feels when shopping at the grocery store.” –says Program Manager, Julia Violi.