Episode 145: I am No Hero for Working in Food Access
About the Podcast
Today, Clancy gets candid in 7 minutes. She takes on the question, “How do you stop volunteers at the food pantry from feeling like saviors?”
About Clancy Harrison
As a registered dietitian, TEDx speaker, international speaker, and author, Clancy Harrison challenges the way food insecurity is approached in the US. Her mission to demolish the stigma around healthy food access places her on the cutting edge of advocacy.
Clancy is the founder of the Food Dignity® Project, a strategic program for leaders who want to shift how they approach nutrition outreach by making healthy food access a priority. She transforms the lives of thousands of people through her work with corporations, non-profit organizations, and universities.
Currently, Clancy is an advisory board member for the Pennsylvania American Academy of Pediatrics Food Insecurity EPIC program, Ambassador of the National Dairy Council, and the President of the Al Beech West Side Food Pantry. Since the onset of COVID-19 Clancy has distributed nearly 1 million meals in her community to improve access to healthy food through effective collaborations.
Discussion Takeaways
- Saviorism is when someone wants to be a hero and do good for their community. They also may want credit for it.
- Some people come fight hunger, want to receive their golden ticket to heaven, but they also judge the people they serve.
- If we volunteer with the intention of giving as much as we’re receiving, then saviorism would go away.
- How do we prevent saviorism?
- Don’t say, “I’m going to volunteer and help someone.” Change that message, and focus on working with others to make a community better. Normalize the unity of your community. People need everyone come together with them. When we have collaboration, things change.
- When we’re working with the people served at the food pantry, we want to make sure they have a seat at the leadership table. Allow them to have a voice, provide solutions, and be at the heart of the operation when it’s time to make decisions. We can’t assume that we have all the answers.
#1 tip to improve access to healthy food
- Feeding people shouldn’t be charity.
Each week on the Food Dignity® Podcast, the Food Dignity® Movement's Clancy Harrison hosts a wide variety of hunger experts and other people making changes on the frontlines. Join us as we dive deep into conversations that will change the way you think about food insecurity.
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