Military families shouldn’t have to choose between rent and dinner. Yet food insecurity continues to affect a significant share of the force, especially around PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moves, in high-cost markets, and where a spouse’s job and childcare options are limited.
Army spouse Monica Bassett founded Stronghold Pantry to meet that need with a clear promise: dignity first.
From a Kansas brick-and-mortar hub to a 26-state ambassador network and rapid-response pop-up pantries, Stronghold delivers 21 real meals per family for a week. Tailored to allergies, culture, and preference, while replacing stigma with human connection.
Watch our full interview with Monica Bassett on the Mastering Military Life podcast
How common is food insecurity in military families?
Multiple large-scale surveys now show elevated rates compared with civilians. The Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN) reported 27.7% of active-duty family respondents experienced food insecurity in its 2023 national survey, more than one in four.
The Department of War (Formerly Department of Defense) uses the USDA six-item scale in its own measurement and has acknowledged both prevalence and readiness implications. Independent USDA researchers comparing military and civilian adults likewise found higher rates among the military population.
Key drivers line up with what families report: PCS-related costs and reimbursements that lag real expenses, spouse unemployment/underemployment, childcare barriers, and high local housing costs that swallow BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing).
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What sparked Stronghold Pantry, and what is the “dignity-first” model?
During COVID-19 at Fort Riley, Bassett witnessed families falling through eligibility gaps. On post, some aid is restricted by pay grade (e.g., E-4/E-5 and below). Off post, many programs use income thresholds that count BAH, pushing families “$5 above the threshold” on paper while their real rent consumed the allowance.
Stronghold began with laundry-basket deliveries and grew into a 501(c)(3) in December 2022. In its first two weeks, peak holiday season, the pantry served 125 families, aided by community partners that provided space so donor dollars could go straight to groceries.
“We invite you in. We learn your name… No food goes in trunks.” —Monica Bassett
The model emphasizes choice-based shopping (in person at the Kansas hub) and doorstep delivery (via ambassadors in 26 states), replacing stigma with conversations and tailored lists. Stronghold prioritizes cash donations over random bulk pallets so it can buy what families will actually use; milk, eggs, allergy-safe items, culturally familiar staples, reducing waste and increasing impact.
Inside the Fort Leavenworth Permanent Pantry
Stronghold’s permanent pantry serving the Fort Leavenworth community functions as the organization’s brick-and-mortar anchor in Kansas. The site operates as a choice-based market rather than a pre-box line. Families come inside, select items that fit dietary needs and preferences, and receive guidance from trained volunteers.
The inperson format is intentional: “We learn your name. We help you shop.” Community support for the facility, space provided by mission-aligned partners, keeps overhead low so contributions fund groceries first. The Leavenworth hub also pilots menu planning (for 21 meals per household), allergy-friendly substitutions, and culturally relevant options that then inform Stronghold’s 26-state delivery playbook.
The storefront doubles as a connection point to resources and referrals, reducing isolation while meeting immediate food needs with dignity.
Does BAH count as income for SNAP?
In most states and circumstances, BAH is treated as countable income for SNAP (food stamps). On paper, that can make a junior enlisted household look “too high” to qualify, even when local rent matches or exceeds the allowance. As a result, many families who are demonstrably struggling with food costs are technically ineligible.
Congress has also created the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) for low-income service members. However, the default inclusion of BAH in BNA income calculations can similarly limit reach; service secretaries have authority to exclude some or all BAH in high-cost areas, but advocacy groups note that how this discretion is applied determines whether families actually qualify.
DoW has published a Food Security Strategy and Roadmap and subsequent updates to standardize measurement and coordinate responses across the services; steps researchers say are necessary to match policy to real need.
What military members qualify for the Basic Needs Allowance
BNA targets service members with dependents whose gross household income (GHI) falls below a set percentage of federal poverty guidelines for their household size. Members must apply and recertify annually; unmarried members without dependents are ineligible.
Because BAH typically counts toward GHI unless excluded by the service secretary in designated high-cost areas, many struggling families remain outside the program’s reach. Policymakers continue to debate BAH exclusion and administrative simplification to improve uptake.
Stronghold's Pop Up Pantrys are a rapid reponse to a growing need
Stronghold maintains a data-driven “war map” of hot-zone installations, places where applications surge and costs stack. In those markets, the team sets up pop-up pantries that transform an empty room into a full, choice-based market for a day.
“We can serve up to 100 families in one day, you come in, we talk, we help you shop. We’re here for the hugs and we’re here for the tears.” —Monica Bassett
These events deliver complete dinner kits (think “spaghetti night” or “taco night”) with everything needed for 21 meals per household for the week. Stronghold estimates that $5,000 can underwrite a pop-up serving a high-need base while preserving the time-intensive, person-to-person format that builds trust.
What military bases have the greatest need for military food assistance?
Stronghold’s on-the-ground intake lines up with public reporting: San Diego, Colorado Springs, Fort Campbell, Hawaii, Tinker AFB (OK), and Moody AFB (GA) are frequent hot spots, each with distinct drivers. COL (cost of living), housing shortages, long medical commutes, and young, highly deployable force mix. Recent coverage in the Wallstreet Journal has documented increased pantry use near major bases. Even when paychecks continue, because moves, spouse unemployment, delayed reimbursements, and childcare costs strain monthly budgets.
DoW's plan to combat food insecruity in the military community
DoW’s strategy calls for consistent measurement, better installation access to nutritious options, and coordination across services and agencies. The Government Accountability Office has urged DoW to tighten implementation and oversight of food access and labeling initiatives on installations to ensure service members can readily find healthy, affordable options where they work and live.
Ways to help feed military families today!
- Give dollars, not just cans. Cash lets Stronghold buy exactly what a family needs this week. Fresh staples, culturally appropriate foods, infant items, and allergy-safe substitutes, reducing waste. You can donate directly on their website at https://www.strongholdfoodpantry.org/
- Boost the signal. If you’re a key spouse, first sergeant, school liaison, chaplain, or community leader, share Stronghold’s referral and intake info; warm introductions reduce stigma and speed support.
- Start local. Launch or join your PCS Pay It Forward® community to give to PIF PANTRIES for rapid, neighbor-to-neighbor exchanges of goods. Find your local PCS Pay-it-Forward® support group for your military base.
- Advocate smartly. When engaging policymakers, focus on BAH counting rules, BNA administration, and practical barriers families face during PCS cycles. Use current data and emphasize the readiness impacts the services themselves have identified.
Recent national surveys and USDA-affiliated research show military households experience higher food insecurity than demographically similar civilian households; MFAN reported 27.7% among active-duty family respondents (2023), and USDA researchers found 25.3% among the military versus 10.1% in a comparable civilian sample.
Yes, in most cases BAH is counted toward income for SNAP eligibility, which can push otherwise needy families “over the line.” Several proposals have sought to exclude BAH from SNAP and/or BNA calculations to improve access where housing costs absorb the allowance.
BNA is for service members with dependents whose gross household income falls below a set threshold; application and annual recertification are required. BAH inclusion often limits eligibility unless specifically excluded by a service secretary in high-cost areas.
Using a hot-zone map built from real requests, Stronghold “pops up” a choice-based market to serve up to 100 families in one day, sending households home with ingredients for 21 complete meals—no anonymous trunk drops, always conversation and consent-based choice.
The most cited factors are PCS-related expenses, spouse unemployment/underemployment, childcare access, and housing costs that outpace BAH. These pressures vary by duty station and timing, which is why local, flexible support models matter.
Food security ties directly to health, retention, and readiness. Surveys show financial stressors, including food insecurity, erode families’ willingness to recommend service to the next generation. DoD’s own roadmap frames food security as a care-of-the-force imperative; GAO’s recommendations underscore that policy must be matched by consistent execution at installation level.