IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ssefpa/v17y2025i1d10.1007_s12571-024-01516-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Required informational barriers to accessing groceries from food banks

Author

Listed:
  • Alexis Millerschultz

    (The University of Arkansas)

  • Lawton Lanier Nalley

    (The University of Arkansas)

  • Brandon McFadden

    (The University of Arkansas)

  • Rodolfo Nayga

    (Texas A&M University
    Korea University)

  • Wei Yang

    (Texas A&M University)

Abstract

Requirements to obtain groceries from a food pantry (e.g., forms of identification) can create potential “documentation barriers” to participation. A more holistic understanding of potential barriers are obtaining assistance from food pantries, specifically in the United States of America (USA), is warranted due to inflation in food prices, reduction of enhanced COVID-related SNAP benefits, and the increased demand for food pantry participation. In May of 2022, a survey was administered to low-income households across the USA that received groceries from a food pantry the previous month. Food pantry participants were asked which pieces of information were required to obtain groceries during their food pantry visit, including requirements to provide a home address, place of employment, Social Security Card, driver’s license, household size, blood test, and an “other” option in case they were asked to provide something beyond the previous requirements listed. On average, respondents were asked to provide 2.4 pieces of information (out of seven) when visiting a food pantry. Results indicated that 56% of African Americans had to provide their Social Security Card, which was significantly higher than the 21% of White food pantry participants, and requiring a Social Security Card is one of the most significant known barriers to obtaining food assistance. Further, probit model results indicated that the groups most susceptible to being food insecure (e.g., minorities, females, and SNAP-using individuals) were between 11 and 28% more likely to experience more documentation barriers to accessing groceries from a food pantry.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexis Millerschultz & Lawton Lanier Nalley & Brandon McFadden & Rodolfo Nayga & Wei Yang, 2025. "Required informational barriers to accessing groceries from food banks," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 17(1), pages 9-25, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:17:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s12571-024-01516-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-024-01516-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12571-024-01516-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12571-024-01516-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ana McCormick Myers & Matthew A. Painter, 2017. "Food insecurity in the United States of America: an examination of race/ethnicity and nativity," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(6), pages 1419-1432, December.
    2. Broussard, Nzinga H., 2019. "What explains gender differences in food insecurity?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 180-194.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alexandria J. Drake & Lora A. Phillips & Brajesh Karna & Shakthi Bharathi Murugesan & Lily K. Villa & Nathan A. Smith, 2023. "Food insecurity and disasters: predicting disparities in total and first-time food pantry visits during the COVID-19 pandemic," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(2), pages 493-504, April.
    2. Hanna Dudek & Joanna Myszkowska-Ryciak & Agnieszka Wojewódzka-Wiewiórska, 2021. "Profiles of Food Insecurity: Similarities and Differences across Selected CEE Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.
    3. Komlan Kota & Marie-Hélène Chomienne & Sanni Yaya, 2023. "Examining the disparities: A cross-sectional study of socio-economic factors and food insecurity in Togo," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(11), pages 1-14, November.
    4. Nithya Shankar-Krishnan & Albert Fornieles Deu & David Sánchez-Carracedo, 2021. "Associations Between Food Insecurity And Psychological Wellbeing, Body Image, Disordered Eating And Dietary Habits: Evidence From Spanish Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 163-183, February.
    5. Elena Carrillo-Álvarez & Blanca Salinas-Roca & Lluís Costa-Tutusaus & Raimon Milà-Villarroel & Nithya Shankar Krishnan, 2021. "The Measurement of Food Insecurity in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-57, September.
    6. Keumseok Koh & Michelle L. Kaiser & Glennon Sweeney & Karima Samadi & Ayaz Hyder, 2020. "Explaining Racial Inequality in Food Security in Columbus, Ohio: A Blinder–Oaxaca Decomposition Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-15, July.
    7. Lauren H. Sweeney & Kaley Carman & Elder G. Varela & Lisa A. House & Karla P. Shelnutt, 2021. "Cooking, Shopping, and Eating Behaviors of African American and Hispanic Families: Implications for a Culturally Appropriate Meal Kit Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-10, September.
    8. Chukwuemeka E. Ogbu & Chisa O. Oparanma & Stella C. Ogbu & Otobo I. Ujah & Ndugba S. Chinenye & Chidera P. Ogbu & Russell S. Kirby, 2023. "Neighborhood Unsafety, Discrimination, and Food Insecurity among Nigerians Aged 15–49," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-14, August.
    9. Yeyoung Lee & Beliyou Haile & Greg Seymour & Carlo Azzarri, 2021. "The heat never bothered me anyway: Gender‐specific response of agricultural labor to climatic shocks in Tanzania," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(2), pages 732-749, June.
    10. Hanna Dudek & Joanna Myszkowska-Ryciak, 2020. "The Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates of Food Insecurity in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-16, August.
    11. Pedro Gerber Machado & Julia Tomei & Adam Hawkes & Celma de Oliveira Ribeiro, 2020. "A Simulator to Determine the Evolution of Disparities in Food Consumption between Socio-Economic Groups: A Brazilian Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-24, July.
    12. Kwabena Nyarko Addai & John N. Ng’ombe & Omphile Temoso, 2022. "Food Poverty, Vulnerability, and Food Consumption Inequality Among Smallholder Households in Ghana: A Gender-Based Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 163(2), pages 661-689, September.
    13. Muhammad Sohail Amjad Makhdum & Rakhshanda Kousar, 2021. "Gender in agriculture: Determinants of female labor supply decisions among rural households in the context of market imperfections in Pakistan," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(2), pages 235-248, March.
    14. Siluleko Mkhize & Elena Libhaber & Ronel Sewpaul & Priscilla Reddy & Laurel Baldwin-Ragaven, 2022. "Child and adolescent food insecurity in South Africa: A household-level analysis of hunger," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(12), pages 1-19, December.
    15. Silva, Andres Montes & Astorga, Andres & Fau´ndez, Rodrigo & Santos, Karla, 2022. "The Effect of Social Capital on Food Security Household Head Gender Gap," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322093, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    16. Neha A. John-Henderson & Benjamin J. Oosterhoff & Lester R. Johnson & Mary Ellen Lafromboise & Melveena Malatare & Emily Salois, 2022. "COVID-19 and food insecurity in the Blackfeet Tribal Community," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(5), pages 1337-1346, October.
    17. Poczta-Wajda, Agnieszka & Guth, Marta, 2024. "Challenges to Household Food Security – Experiences from European Union Countries," Roczniki (Annals), Polish Association of Agricultural Economists and Agribusiness - Stowarzyszenie Ekonomistow Rolnictwa e Agrobiznesu (SERiA), vol. 2024(4).
    18. Michael F. Royer, 2024. "The Folly of Food Waste amidst Food Insecurity in the United States: A Literature Review," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, April.
    19. Joshua Berning & Caroline Norris & Rebecca Cleary, 2023. "Food insecurity among immigrant populations in the United States," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(1), pages 41-57, February.
    20. Courtney A. Parks & Amber Bastian & Rebecca Lindberg & Fiona H. McKay & Paige Pligt & Amy L. Yaroch, 2022. "Food insecurity among parents of young children in the United States and Australia: focusing on etiology and outcomes," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(6), pages 1499-1502, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:17:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s12571-024-01516-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.