Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Porch Pantry?
The Porch Pantry is a community-led emergency food relief initiative serving Columbus, Ohio and surrounding areas. We connect volunteers who can deliver food with families in need, operating on a one-day-at-a-time basis to provide immediate assistance.
How does the food delivery process work?
Families in need submit a request through our form. Volunteers sign up to shop and deliver food on specific days. We match volunteers with families based on location and availability.
Who can request food assistance?
Anyone in Columbus, Ohio or surrounding areas experiencing food insecurity can request assistance. There are no income requirements or qualifications needed. We believe everyone deserves access to food.
How can I volunteer to shop and deliver groceries?
Click the "Sign Up to Deliver Food" button and fill out the form. You can choose which days work for your schedule. We'll send you details about the delivery, including the family's address, size, and any dietary needs or special requests.
It's not in my budget to shop for groceries for a family at this time. Can I get involved in other ways?
Absolutely! Go to our
Volunteer form and indicate how you would like to help.
Can I drop off items with you to be added to bags for families?
Yes — we appreciate you! Head over to our
Volunteer form to get started.
How is my privacy protected if I request food?
We take privacy seriously. Your information is only shared with the volunteer making your delivery. Deliveries can be completely contactless and left on your porch. Volunteers are committed to treating all recipients with dignity and respect.
Can I request food assistance more than once?
We are an emergency pantry meant to be a gap to more sustainable resources, and at any given time we have hundreds of families in the queue waiting for groceries. We are a small team of two coordinating other neighbors volunteering to help.
I'd like to start something similar in my community – can I copy what you've created?
Yay! Absolutely! Feel free to reach out to us and we'd be happy to share what we've learned.
