By Tom Spalding, Communications Volunteer
At Boulevard Place Food Pantry, we believe food assistance isn’t just about nourishment. It should offer dignity, flexibility and a sense of normalcy.
That is why our pantry operates using a client-choice model.
Rather than receiving a pre-packed box of food, neighbors who visit Boulevard Place can shop the pantry and select the items that best fit their households. It is a simple concept, but it makes a meaningful difference. It’s been a fixture of our operations at Boulevard Place Food Pantry dating back about two decades.
Client choice has been a major topic of conversation recently. It was the focus of the March Indy Hunger Summit (Boulevard Place was a presenter). Food pantries are busier than ever, making it harder to maintain variety amid high demand. Our pantry served 1,820 households in March 2026, our second-highest number in 44 years. January and February were also record-setters. Demand is great due to the overall economic challenges our shoppers face, such as high energy prices. By providing free groceries, we can reduce the stress on shoppers’ budgets and expenses.
We made client choice a key focus during a bilingual survey we conducted of our shoppers in February 2026. Of 212 surveyed, 96% agreed they like our approach. (Watch this video for more on the survey results.)
Client-choice is available for in-person shopping on Thursdays and Saturdays and occasionally on Wednesdays with drive-up service, which is mainly pre-packaged for quick assistance. Because clients select what they need, we gain a clearer understanding of which items move fastest and which products are most helpful to the people we serve. That insight helps guide donations, purchasing decisions and volunteer support. (Want to help? In our With Record Demand and Emptying Shelves, Boulevard Place Provides its Most-Desired List blog post, we outlined what types of food you should consider when starting a food drive.)
It is one reason we often talk about the items we need most. When the community responds with those specific donations, it directly supports the client-choice experience by helping keep shelves stocked with foods people want and need. Every can, box, bag and hour of service helps us keep choice on the shelves for the families who count on us.
