Serving Those Who Served: Implementing a Client-Choice Food Pantry for Veterans in Cumberland County, North Carolina

<p class="p1">Food insecurity affects millions of Americans but is especially prevalent among the veteran population, who experience food insecurity at rates 7.4% higher than their non-veteran counterparts. In Cumberland County, North Carolina (NC), home to Fort Bragg, 16.3% of the county faces food insecurity. For many veterans, food insecurity is made worse by low median incomes, local food deserts, stigma, and access to affordable, nutritious foods. The program, Veteran Freshplace, adapts the evidence-based intervention Freshplace, a client-choice food pantry model, with monthly case management meetings and personalized referrals to local community resources. Using a pre-test post-test design, the evaluation will examine the program&rsquo;s ability to improve food insecurity through the client-choice food pantry while increasing self-sufficiency by addressing many social determinants of health that affect food insecurity. The program aims to enhance food security and self-sufficiency for veterans in Cumberland County, NC, reduce health disparities, and support long-term stability through an integrated, community-based approach.