People In Need, Delaware County Transit partner on free rides to pantry in food access pilot

DELAWARE — For some Delaware County residents, getting to a food pantry can be just as difficult as putting food on the table.

That’s why People In Need of Delaware County is partnering with the Delaware County Transit to offer free bus rides to and from the food pantry.

The Food Access program offers free rides to residents of Ostrander and Orange Township with household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (roughly $64,000 annually for a family of four).

“We wanted to create a reverse mobile market,” PIN Director of Food Insecurity Programs Kristin Pzedpelski said.

At the pantry, PIN provides a four-day food supply based on family size. The supply provides three meals for each family member for four days.

Rather than bringing food into neighborhoods, the program removes one of the biggest obstacles some residents face by helping them travel to the pantry.

“Our goal is for this to be a great opportunity for families who either don’t have the transportation to get here, or families who can save the additional finances by not spending the gas money to get here,” Pzedpelski said.

Why these communities?

Ostrander and Orange Township were selected because both communities participate in the Community Development Block Grant program, which helped make the initiative possible.

The county’s 2025 Community Development Block Grant program supplied $27,000 to get the program off the ground. Ostrander also received $150,000 for sidewalks improvements through the program.

Pzedpelski said People In Need also identified those communities as areas where residents could benefit from improved access to transportation and food assistance.

Ostrander’s city hall is a 15-minute drive from the pantry, and Orange Township’s hall is a 25-minute drive.

People from those two areas can reserve a round-trip ride from select locations by calling 740-363-3355, option one, 48 hours in advance of the ride time.

A Delaware County Transit staffer or PIN staffer will direct interested riders to the best pick-up location near them.

Program success

The program kicked off at the beginning of July and runs every other week until Sept. 23, but Community Engagement Director Mallory Sribanditmongkol said they may extend that end date.

That’s because the program has not had a lot of users yet, Sribanditmongkol said.

“We knew it would be difficult in the first few weeks because we’ve never done anything like this,” she said.

Despite the low turnout thus far, Sribanditmongkol said PIN knows the need is there. She pointed to PIN’s bus pass program that provides monthly bus passes for people to use to come to the pantry.

The program began with giving out 30 passes each month, and now PIN gives out 55 each month, most of which are picked up within the first few days of the month.

“We know the need for transportation is high,” she said.

Pzedpelski encouraged anyone with questions about the program to reach out to PIN or the Delaware County Transit.