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Running head: CHANGE PAPER

Change Paper
Loreena J. Storer
Bethel College

MNUR 511

January 21, 2015


Change Environment
The Elizabeth Abel Food Pantry is a ministry of New Hope United Methodist Church
located at County Road 4 Elkhart, Indiana 46514 in northern Elkhart County, and was
established when friends and family members contributed sometimes cases of food to the
churchs pantry to celebrate Elizabeths 90th birthday, and therefore establishing the pantry
(Magallanes, 2011). The pantry operates on an all-volunteer staff that serves in a variety of

capacities to aid in the operational needs of the pantry, and the outreach ministry to surrounding
communities of Southern Michigan and Elkhart County.
The director, budget manager, and the pantry board facilitate the weekly functions that
keep the doors of pantry open to those in need. Set-up, tear down & clean up, recycle collection,

customer service, client intake receptionists, repackaging, deliveries to shut-ins, donation pickups, ordering and purchasing of supplies, record keeping, maintaining resource contacts,
stocking shelves, preparing lunch, and clean-up of kitchen are essential each week. The
volunteers are the supportive backbone of the Elizabeth Abel Food Pantry that serves so many,
and represent the sum of the integration and synthesis of the efforts of each of its parts and
their convergence where individual contribution joins with the whole to create truly symphonic
action (Porter-OGrady & Malloch, 2011, p. 112). Most of the volunteers, at one time, were
only recipients until they felt the need to give back by serving. The director, Carla Pontius, says
the pantry has a mission to Fill More Than Bellies, and to value each one that comes seeking
assistance. Kumar (2010) describes a servant leader as one who encourages the growth and
betterment of others, and she is the first to greet the clients as they come in the door. They

are greeted with a warm smile, offered a hello and a hug, and reminds them there is always someone
willing to pray with them. The Christian worldview includes the reality of the spiritual and
unseen and the importance of faith and prayer (Shelly & Miller, 2006, p. 52).
Organizational Model
The pantry is governed by the pastor, director of the pantry, followed by the Pantry Committee
Board, and the organizational model reflects the hierarchy, vertical control design (Porter-OGrady &
Malloch, 2011, p. 5). See Figure 1 in Appendix

The lines of communication appear to be loosely structured in that directions are given
each pantry day to the volunteers as to what product is available, how much is allotted per
individual or family, and what other tasks need completed that day. Suggestions for
improvement in function or service are welcomed by the director. The volunteers and clients are
from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, and miscommunication occasionally occurs

CHANGE PAPER

leading to frustration (Giger & Davidhizar, 2002, p. 185). The leadership consistently seeks to
improve the flow of communication between leadership and volunteers to better serve the clients.
Locus of Control
The general culture and locus of control of the pantry clientele, including the clientvolunteers, appears to be external in nature, which Giger and Davidhizar (2002) describe this
view of health care as being hopeless. Many of the clients have chronic health conditions that
have gone untreated, or minimally treated as a result of the lack of knowledge or finances to
pursue care. Often times they can be heard discussing health concerns with others, and usually
the conversation is focused on the negative aspects of the situation, and rarely end in a positive
or encouraging manner.
The pantrys leadership has an internal locus of control as demonstrated by taking the
initiative to be servant leaders by meeting the needs of the vulnerable and less fortunate, by
connecting with the clients, where they know clients by their name, where prayer is offered, and
providing more than supplemental food (Giger & Davidhizar, 2002, p. 186). It is believed that
the pantrys people make all the difference to those who weekly walk through the doors every
Friday morning. This appeal motivated some clients to seek out further contact with others
involved with the pantry those who attend New Hope Church to the point that they are now
attending regularly (Giger & Davidhizar, 2002, p. 187).
Change Concept
Definitive and scheduled meetings for planning, follow up, and discussion would
tremendously improve the flow of communication throughout the structure of the pantry.
Planning educational workshops or classes utilizing the skills and experience available for
volunteers and clients, providing monthly schedules, and would create changed environment

CHANGE PAPER

(Porter-OGrady & Malloch, 2011, p. 118). The outcomes of this change would present as a
more informed group of volunteers to better serve clients, and a better informed client base that
can utilize that new information and incorporate it to improve their lives in some manner.
Since this is a food pantry, a greater portion of the education provided should focus on nutrition
and health to improve their overall well-being. Scheduling health screenings for pantry clients and the
surrounding community would greatly expand the need for education based on the client results. The
ideal result from this outreach would be to increase the clients awareness knowledge of possible health

concerns, and to be referred to own physician or a local clinic to meet their medical needs.
Securing AEDs for the church and the pantry, along with trained users would increase the
level of interventions that are available when the facility has services, events, or the pantry is in
operational. This would provide an awareness and sense of security knowing this is available if
the need arises. There are 5 or 6 nurses who attend the church who would be great resources for
this educational project once dates are set for CPR training with qualified instructors.
Gregg (2014) indicates that nearly 50 million people in the US are in poverty, almost as many
are
experiencing food insecurity. The goal, as a nurse, is to educate and encourage clients to make
wise food choices that promote health and reduce hunger (Gregg, 2014). Hoisington, Shultz, and
Butkus (2002) indicated that surveys of pantry clients in California indicated a high interest in

learning more about new recipes, nutrition, and special needs diets. Surveys can be made
available to the pantry clients to determine their greatest needs and interests, how best to proceed
with educational programs, and following the education to determine the success of the program.
Nursing Diagnosis
There is a deficient of knowledge/ imbalanced nutrition: more than body
requirement/less than body requirements at the pantry that is related to ineffective coping skills,

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low education levels, or insufficient resources. The goals are that the clients will demonstrate an
increased level of understanding of their own health and nutritional needs, and will be able to
prepare nutritious meals for themselves and others using the new recipes. The nursing
interventions are to assess the clients willingness to learn, perform health screenings when
possible, present appropriate materials to meet client needs, and then evaluate the clients
retention and application of education provided.
These can be reassessed over time if the clients return to the pantry and are interested in
continuing the education process. Every contact with the participating clients is a chance to
assess their retention, application, and to encourage them toward healthy choices.

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References

Giger, J., & Davidhizar, R. (2002). The Giger and Davidhizar Transcultural Assessment Model.
Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 13(3), 185-188. Retrieved from www.sagepub.com
Gregg, S. R. (2014). August 2014. American Nurse Today, 9. Retrieved from
www.americannursetoday.com
Hoisington, A., Schultz, J. A., & Butkus, S. (2002, 2002). Coping strategies and nutrition
education needs among food pantry users. Journal of nutrition education and behavior,
34, 326-333.
Kumar, K. (2010). A new culture of leadership: Service over self. Journal of Christian Nursing,
27(1), 46-50. http://dx.doi.org/doi: 10.1097/01.CNJ0000365992.54345.a6
Magallanes, J. (2011, January 11). Compassion for clients at New Hope United Methodist
Church pantry. The Elkhart Truth. Retrieved from http://www.elkharttruth.com
Porter-OGrady, T., & Malloch, K. (2011). . In Quantum leadership: Advancing innovation,
transforming health care (3 ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Shelly, J. A., & Miller, A. B. (2006). . In Called to care: A Christian worldview for nursing (2
ed.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Tiffany, C. R., & Lutjens, L. R. (). 1998. D. Ruth, & S. Robinson (Eds.). Planned change theories
for nursing: Review, analysis, and implications: SAGE Publications.

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Appendix

Pastor
Pantry
Committe
e

Pantry
Director

Figure 1.0
(Porter-OGrady & Malloch, 2011, p. 5)

Pantry
Volunteers

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