Elizabeth Fallon

The USF Food Pantry Rebrand

Fall/Spring 2024-2025

In the class “Community Engaged Design,” which addressed real community needs in San Francisco, I lead the experience design team in improving access and use of a USF student food pantry located in the campus library.

My class in the completed food pantry posing in front of the banner I designed

Conducting research to allow students to be part of the process

Myself sewing the burlap door covers

Myself and a classmate creating the burlap door covers

The original food pantry decor

Myself and a classmate putting up the new banner I designed

Alternate angle of new banner

The original sign outside the pantry

The new sign along with a system to allow students to see which number cards would be called next

Sign I created to clearly state what items would be available at each pantry

Labels I created to help students identify food items, what allergens they contain, and how many of each item they can take

Myself in front of another food pantry sign I helped design and put up

The important first step was to interview food pantry users to identify needed ares of improvement. Having done that, these were three areas of focus, each with a clear problem and achievable solution:

1. Access
PROBLEM
The food pantry was neither well advertised nor clearly branded, making it difficult for students to seek out and find. The slapdash design gave it an air of impermanence undermining its value to students.
SOLUTION-A large banner of my own design consistent with the established branding was hung in the pantry. We hung additonal signs around the library and other high traffic locations for wayfinding purposes.

-An identifiable brand in the form of a friendly and playful farmhouse aesthetic, sewing burlap covers to hold storage cabinet doors in place and obtaining green gingham tablecloths to cover all additional surfaces.

2. User experience
PROBLEM
Students had to wait in line for over an hour in a single spot to use the food pantry. The space was uncomfortable with minimal seating and the time wasted waiting inefficient. Students routinely saved spots for friends, adjustly punishing those waiting in line.
SOLUTION-I created a number card system so students could spread out, explore the library, and use their time well while waiting for their number to be called.
-We helped organize tabling events and musical entertainment for almost every food pantry date

1. Informational clarity
PROBLEM
Food was poorly labeled if at all, slowing down the user experience. Students were unaware of items available ona given date, allergens contained, and how many of each item they could take.
SOLUTION-We designed and created large, legible, and on-brand labels for the food items with all necessary details
-A menu was put up weekly with a list of available non-perishables and produce

TakeawayThe food pantry became a permanent fixture of campus. Students reported improved access and visibility and altogether a more efficient experience they could look forward to.

After the semester ended, my professor pulled myself and one other student aside to ask if we would like to intern at the food pantry the following semester, helping to complete any remaining projects, continue to create promotional material, and help with any and all tasks in running the food pantry.