Excerpted from Reinventing Food Banks and Pantries: New Tools to End Hunger by Katie Martin. Copyright © 2021 by Katie Martin. Reproduced by permission of Island Press, Washington, DC. The following section draws from portions of Chapter 3, “A Paradigm Shift in How We Talk about Hunger,” pp. 46–50, 52–53.
Scarcity Mentality: How to Move from Deficit-Based to Strength-Based Language
A key issue that is holding us back from really tackling and ending hunger is the focus on not having enough. Within charitable food work, and in other nonprofit sectors too, we describe this concept as the scarcity mentality.
A Focus on Strengths
The opposite of scarcity mentality is a strength-based approach and a feeling of abundance. The term strength-based can be used to describe both a way of seeing others and how services are delivered: recognizing the inherent strengths in others, providing services without judgment, believing there is enough food for everyone, trusting that if you allow clients to choose their food they will take what they need but not more. Many organizations conduct needs assessments to identify weaknesses in a community. Some organizations are starting to conduct asset mapping to identify the various resources and opportunities within a community. When we see people in a food pantry line as having strengths, dreams, and goals, we can leverage their contributions.
To help you consider the language that you use, the chart below provides some examples of old-school language that I believe is outdated and then suggests new language that is strength-based, is more accurate, or uses an equity lens to be more inclusive. I also provide a brief rationale to describe the differences between the two descriptions. I hope this will give you some ideas for the words you choose for your work.
Suggested Language
| Old school | Suggested language | Rationale |
| Feeding hungry people Feeding the hungry | Ensure everyone has access to enough food Provide food for people who are food insecure | We aren’t actually feeding others, nor do we want to. This is a paternalistic and degrading approach. We feed our pets. People can feed themselves. Also, saying “the hungry” creates an “us versus them” mentality. Using people-first language puts a person before a diagnosis or a problem, describing what a person “has” rather than asserting what a person “is.” |
| 100,000 people are going to bed hungry tonight 100,000 people | 100,000 people worry about having enough food for their families 100,000 people have to make difficult decisions between paying for food, rent, utilities, or medical bills | National statistics on food security are based on questions related to experiences over one year, so it is inaccurate to say that all those who are food insecure are going to bed hungry tonight. Food insecurity is more of a chronic problem than an immediate need for food for the next meal. |
To read more of Katie Martin's article, visit, Moving Beyond the Scarcity Mindset - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
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