Please see the answers to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below. If you still have questions after reading this page, please feel free to call or email us via our Contact Us page.

What pantries are eligible to participate in the study?

Pantries considered for study participation will be GBFB partner pantries that use a “maximum client choice” model; maximum choice pantries allow their clients to pick and choose the items they need (in contrast to sites that, for example, provide a pre-packed box of goods). Additional pantry eligibility criteria include being located within approximately 1 hour driving time of Boston (for logistical feasibility). 

How will pantries be contacted for participation?

You might have heard about us from other pantries, area hunger networks, GBFB agency meetings, or interviews. If you might be interested in participation, please email us at mghbewellstudy@mgb.org to learn more. All potentially eligible pantries will be contacted by email from the Be Well study team to determine if your pantry is a good fit for the study. If more than 30 pantries express interest in participating in the study, pantries will be selected based on pantry characteristics (e.g., size, location) to achieve optimal balance upon randomization. 

What does participation mean?

By participating in the Be Well Study, you will receive information and resources at some point over the next two years to encourage healthy food choices at your food pantry. Some resources include information about SWAP, online links to implementation guides, and encouragement to obtain SWAP Toolkits, which include shelf labels, signage, and informational/instructional materials. Pantries will also receive free training and materials provided by MGH/GBFB.  

When: Starting in fall 2024; study activities take place over 2 years

Payment: The Be Well Study will pay pantries $500 coinciding with each of 5 site visits (approximately every 6 months) to compensate for time and effort accommodating our research staff. If the Pantry participates in all 5 site visits, these payments will therefore total $2,500 over two years. 

Data Collection: To measure the success of the Be Well Study, our study staff will collect data from both your pantry and its clients. Study staff will conduct all data collection using procedures that aim to minimize disruption both to the pantry and to clients. Study data will be collected and stored in a way that protects confidentiality. Pantry-specific, identifiable data will not be shared with any persons outside the research team. Client data that we collect will not include information that can be used to identify individuals. 

• Site visits will occur at approximately 6-month intervals until 24 months after the study was initiated. Site visit activities will include photo documentation of shelves, displays, and storage areas at the pantries. We expect this data collection to take no more than 1 hour per site visit.  

• Study Staff will perform exit surveys with 25 pantry clients at each site visit. Exit surveys will consist of a questionnaire, a “basket assessment,” and use of the Veggie Meter (a fast, non-invasive, painless assessment of vegetable consumption using light reflected off the skin of the fingertip). We expect that surveying 25 participants may take up to the full time the Pantry is open to clients over the course of one or two days. Survey data will be de-identified and will not be linked to clients’ personal information. 

• Individual client participants receive $25 for their participation.   

Where can I learn more about what I need to do for the study?

If you want to read about what you would need to do for the study, please browse our Pantry Resources page on this website.

To find out more information or to speak with a study staff member, please call us at (617) 724-7206. Please leave a message with your name and call-back number, in case we are unable to answer the phone.