Pantry Vending

The Pantry Vending presentation was a very clever idea. As someone who grew up in a single parent household and struggled with poverty and didn’t know where the next meal would come from, I appreciate that this group really focused on solving such a serious matter. It is very difficult to come up with a fresh and new concept that hasn’t already been done before, but this group was super creative while being realistic. In the presentation, I found it interesting how they took the whole “soup kitchen” concept to the next level. Their services are available for all people, homeless or low-income families, to use their pantry machines.

The fingerprint idea is super smart. Unfortunately, there are those who take advantage of these services. This would help identify everyone who uses the vending machines. Also, I liked how they thought about people who might steal from it, so they said the front would look empty and the machine itself would be made of super sturdy materials.

One thing that surprised me is that the average poverty line for a family of 4 is $24,000. That number is extremely low and that alone cannot obviously afford the necessities. As discussed in class, I would have loved if the Pantry Vending was a more nonprofit organization that relies on their own statistics rather than the government. Even though the government has other services, it leaves out millions who are even slightly above the national poverty line. I hope just in case this idea manifests into a real thing, they would be more inclusive and decisive about these minor details.

For this idea, I think having the vending machines accessible is very important. With that said, I personally think that these machines should be placed outside of stores. This will help get rid of the “poor and desperate” stigma and if decorated in a certain way, could make people feel great about going to the store like a normal person and getting the food instead of in a remote area where it is even more obvious. Even having the machine accept donations is an awesome plan too. This makes Pantry Vending an overall community effort instead of just the five people!

(Of course, I am still concerned about having fruits and vegetables at the actual locations because then, those healthy foods are not as accessible. Hopefully, you guys can come up with a plan to keep those items staying fresh for a while.)

I seriously loved this idea. Great Job!