In this series, Beyond the Table, we explore the root causes of hunger across our service area, spotlight the advocates working to address those issues and share ways you can join in to help us seek long-term solutions for our communities. Together, we can go beyond the table and work toward a future where everyone has the resources they need to thrive.
Food Insecurity in Butler County
Butler County is located north of Allegheny County and known for its scenic landscapes, including rolling hills, farmland and parks. Within Butler County there is a diverse population and a mix of urban, rural and semi-rural communities as well as affluent neighborhoods and lower-income areas. These communities are supported by a mix of industries like farming, manufacturing, healthcare and retail. Like many areas across the US, food insecurity is a growing concern. From 2023 to 2024 there was a 36% increase in food insecure neighbors in Butler County. 1 in 10 people and 1 in 9 children don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
Because of the diverse communities, population and local industries across Butler County, food insecurity can be linked to economic inequality present in the county. While some communities are doing well economically, others struggle with high unemployment rates or underemployment, which limits residents’ ability to afford sufficient food. Like many rural communities we serve, access to healthy food can be even more challenging, as grocery stores or food pantries may be far away and transportation options are often slim.
Supporting families in Butler
Laura and her granddaughter visit one of our partner food pantries in Butler County. Laura takes care of her husband who is a disabled veteran, and the couple has full custody of their granddaughter. She worked as an EMT for years but when their granddaughter moved in with them, she needed to retire to take care of her.
“My husband was in the Marine Corps and went to the Gulf War. It messed up his knees, his back and his ankles plus he has PTSD,” she said.
Her husband receives Social Security, but they don’t qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) or any other assistance. Laura shares they are on a very tight and limited budget. Stepping up as caregiver for their granddaughter makes their budget even more squeezed but luckily, she has our partner network to lean on.
Laura is grateful to have a local food pantry that they can visit. At the pantry, she picks up meat, produce, fruit, veggies and other grocery staples that they can’t afford at the store. She says “this is the only thing that saves us, without this assistance we literally couldn’t do it.”
Our work in Butler County
We work with 44 partners in Butler County, including food pantries, hot meal programs and child nutrition partners to distribute food to neighbors who are food insecure. Last year, we awarded nearly $76,000 in impact grants to our partners in the county to support them. Impact grants supported equipment purchases such as refrigerators and freezers so that partners could properly store fresh food, other supplies such as carts, dollies, shelving scales and insulated blankets were also awarded.
We host two walk-in distributions in Butler County every month, one in Parker and one in Butler City. Walk-in distributions allow neighbors the opportunity to select the food they want, rather than relying on pre-packed boxes. We have fresh produce and other grocery staples available at these monthly distributions. Last year we distributed an average of 17,000 pounds per month through the walk-in distributions in Butler County.
We also host a drive-up distribution in Sarver, once a month. The drive-up distribution method is particularly accessible for neighbors who have limited mobility. Each car gets a family size portion of approximately 50 pounds of food, focusing on produce and frozen protein. Last year, we distributed more than 144,500 pounds of food to neighbors in Butler County through the Sarver distribution.
Collective Impact and the Butler Working Group
In January 2023, the Food Bank and our partners in Butler County established the Butler County Collective Impact Working Group (Working Group) whose focus is to better understand the unique needs in the county and create pathways for community-led solutions. Community leaders from a range of sectors — including healthcare, education, non-profit organizations, and partner food pantries — came together to brainstorm, launch and fund solutions to improve access to food assistance.
Feedback from community members is a critical part of the collective impact process. By developing a deeper understanding of barriers to accessing food assistance, Working Groups can brainstorm solutions that address existing gaps in service delivery. The Working Group surveyed 258 food pantry participants at 5 locations, and we learned that:
- 59% of Butler County food pantry participants use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to supplement their household food budget.
- Lack of transportation was a significant barrier.
- And neighbors want and need their food pantries to offer foods like meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs and milk.
Using this data, the Working Group created a plan to address the specific needs of Butler County.
The Working Group identified transportation as the most significant barrier to accessing food assistance in Butler County. To address this challenge, they voted to provide an impact grant to fund an existing initiative–Rise Up Rides– aimed at improving county-wide transportation access. Rise Up Rides is a collaboration between multiple Butler County organizations associated with the Butler General Transportation Group including: The Alliance for Nonprofit Resources, Independence Health and The Lighthouse Foundation. The impact grant funding provides rides to food assistance locations such as food pantries, grocery stores and farmers markets. Since inception, the Food Bank has awarded $15,000 to support this ride initiative.
In addition to addressing the transportation barrier, the Working Group also saw a need for a community resource guide, including resources for food assistance and other basic needs. The Butler Collaborative for Families developed an “Important Contacts in Butler County” guide in 2022. Rather than developing a new resource, the Working Group decided to confirm the accuracy of the BCF guide and to print 8,000 additional copies. Resource guides were distributed by Working Group members and food pantries across Butler County.
The Pantries & Food Distribution subcommittee of The Working Group was tasked with identifying and implementing solutions to expand access to food assistance in the most underserved communities of Butler County. In the summer of 2024, we launched two walk-in distribution events to address this need, one in Parker and one in Karns City, both of which were well received by the community. As a result of their success, we made the Parker distribution permanent which also serves residents in Karns City.
Collective Impact is a collaborative approach where diverse stakeholders from various sectors come together to address a specific social issue, and this is exactly what the Working Group is doing. Joe Franciscus from the Lighthouse Foundation, a key partner in Butler County, shared, “It’s just been awesome to be a part of, no matter how small or large each organization is. When you look at what we’re accomplishing, it’s really making a difference. It’s amazing to see that impact.”
In 2025, the Working Group’s big goal is reaching people in the more rural parts of the county and addressing the service gaps to increase access to food in northwest Butler. They are brainstorming ideas for expanding evening hours and grab-and-go access for children during the summer. These efforts reflect a continued commitment to improving food access for the most vulnerable county residents.
How You Can Help
There are many ways to get involved with our work in Butler County. You can get involved with the Food Bank in three simple ways:
1. Advocating for anti-hunger policies with your local and state officials that help neighbors facing food insecurity. Start by signing up for our Advocacy Newsletter to receive timely alerts on current actions and ways to alleviate food insecurity.
2. Volunteering at a Butler County distribution.
3. Donating to support programs and operations that make our mission possible in Butler County. Every $1 donated to the Food Bank can help provide up to 3 meals to neighbors in need. Unlike going to the grocery store, we work directly with manufacturers, retailers, local farmers and government agencies to source foods in mass quantities (some of which would have otherwise gone to waste) for distribution.
Are you in need or want to give back to an organization in Butler county? Visit our Food Finder Tool and type in “Butler county” when prompted to enter an address or ZIP Code.