YLP in Churches

Your Local Pantry is coordinated and supported by Church Action on Poverty, an organisation that has 40+ years’ experience working alongside churches to tackle the root causes of UK poverty. 

120+ Your Local Pantry communities across the UK

55% of the Pantries in the network are run in partnership with churches or Christian organisations

Countless moments of hope, connection and community

Do you work for a church? Are there people in your community who are struggling, financially or socially? Would you like to use your church’s resources and space to connect with even more local people, and to make a deep and meaningful way? Opening a Your Local Pantry could be the ideal next step. Here are reflections from some other churches, who have done just that: 

• "The Pantry, as another branch to our ministry, has been fundamental in establishing the church as the heart of the community in the parish and beyond."
• "We love the community we have gathered around us… Celebrate the good times and support in the hard times. We feel like a family."
• "It has opened the church more and become a community hub."
• "We are actively doing something that benefits the community as a whole… It's a social space in which to signpost to other agencies and church groups."
• “We want to reach people in the area and build relationships. With a Pantry, people come back every week and start opening up and you hear how much it means to people. We are a church so we can direct people in the church to the Pantry, and also let Pantry members know about other things like the toddler groups.”
• “So, I like to think that it’s a little glimmer of hope. It’s a wee bit of God’s love in action for the church. It’s showing people that really everyone’s treated the same... I call it the ministry of Pantry.”

Consider what role your church could play in tackling food poverty and building connection and community by bringing a Pantry to your area. 

Church Action on Poverty offers a range of practical support to help you set up and run your Pantry - and you get the benefits of being part of a UK-wide movement.

We have a tried and tested plan and provide new Pantries with a dedicated Development Worker who will take you through each step. We have extra guidance around setting up a Pantry in a church setting and can introduce you to other church-run Pantries in the network as part of the development process.

If you’d like to discuss how a Pantry could work in your church or community, please complete our enquiry form and a member of the team will be touch.

Enquiry Form