Specialty Box Program: Implementing Tailored Food Boxes to Serve the Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Although food pantries play a key role in addressing food insecurity across the United States, the usual methods of getting food to people in need were severely challenged during the COVID-19 crisis. Chronic disease, lack of transportation, and food insecurity are social determinants that amplify health disparities at higher rates among racial and ethnic minorities throughout the greater Charlotte, North Carolina, area. Loaves & Fishes, a local network of food pantries, partnered with RAO Community Health to develop and support the sustainability of the Specialty Box Program which provides whole grains and foods low in sodium, sugar, and fat to people with chronic disease. As a pilot initiative developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Specialty Box Program used a mobile food pharmacy and home-delivery services to increase access to healthier foods. The request for specialty boxes more than doubled the program's initial goal, showing a continued need for healthier food options beyond the pilot phase. Through Loaves & Fishes' infrastructure, we leveraged our current partnerships, funding resources, and response plans. The result was a sustainable program that can be replicated in other areas where nutrition security is inadequate.