“In my experience, problems with access are families not wanting to go for help. Unfortunately, there’s a stigma with receiving help, and a lot of families they don’t want to have to experience that,” she said.

Valarie Mack, 55, who lives in the city’s 3rd Ward, said she often used the food pantries in the city and was unhappy with how she was treated.

“They weren’t paying attention, it was just, ‘We’re there for those hours, sign in, sign out,’” she said.

But recently, Mack has had exposure to healthier options after joining a summer program at AtlantiCare’s William Gormley Healthplex. The idea of going for help, she said, made her very anxious, and she had to overcome years of distrust.

“You’re so used to falling through the cracks, something good gave me so much anxiety until I realized it’s for real,” Mack said.

Through the summer program, she has learned about foods she used to never eat.

“Like the eggplant, I used to pass that up so much,” Mack said. “We’re substituting the ground beef for the turkey, they didn’t even know, turkey hot dogs.”