Moving Beyond Giving Free Food: Specific Targeting and Tailoring in Response to Child Food Insecurity

AbstractObjectivesTo explore differences in food insecurity for individuals and families of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the COVID-19 pandemic by individual, family, and neighborhood characteristics.MethodsWe surveyed a convenience sample of households of people with ASD. We calculated food insecurity using items from the US Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey..ResultsOver half of all respondents reported being food insecure (51.8%). Respondents who reported being food insecure were more likely to be minority, have a high school education or less, be on public insurance or uninsured, live in urban/rural communities, and say that their community is not supportive. The majority of respondents did not get free food or groceries (53.2%). Food insecure respondents who got free food was most likely to get them from schools (34.2%).ConclusionThis is the first study of its kind to explore food security in households of people with ASD. The pandemic has exacerbated existing neighborhood disparities. The federal response to food insecurity caused by the pandemic needs to be further explored especially for preferred and medically necessary foods for people with ASD.

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“Free food on campus!”: Using instructional technology to reduce university food waste and student food insecurity

Journal of American College Health ◽

10.1080/07448481.2020.1846042 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Laura B. Frank

Keyword(s):

Instructional Technology ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Food Waste ◽

Free Food

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Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19: A reflective essay

Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development ◽

10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.044 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Brittney Cavaliere ◽

Carson Drew ◽

Katie Martin

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

New England ◽

Free Food ◽

People Of Color ◽

Food Banks ◽

Food Bank ◽

Food Pantry ◽

Regional Food ◽

Food Needs ◽

To Receive

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented surge in food insecurity and demand for free food. In response, Foodshare, the regional food bank serving Greater Hartford, Connecticut, created a drive-through distribution program to meet the immediate food needs of residents. Our team at Foodshare’s Institute for Hunger Research & Solutions conducted two surveys of people receiving food at the drive-through distribution to help inform Foodshare’s programming and response to the pandemic. Results show that 70% of households receiving food had never gone to a food pantry or other program to receive free food prior to COVID-19, and 67% said they come at least once a week. Additionally, 86% of guests are not going elsewhere to receive free food and only 37% know of other places to get free food. The majority of people receiving food at the drive-through distribution were people of color, who are those most affected by COVID-19 from both health and financial perspectives. From April to August 2020, Foodshare served an average of 1,500 households each day and more than 150,000 cars total at the drive-through distribution alone. Despite serving an immediate need for food, the drive-through model presents challenges, particularly during the New England winter with snow and freezing temperatures, and is an expensive endeavor. Foodshare and other food banks will need to pivot again from short-term pandemic assistance to longer-term approaches to create dignified, convenient, and sustainable access to healthy food for additional people struggling with food insecurity. Food banks can also leverage their extensive platforms of volunteers and donors to advocate for policy changes that will ensure economic stability and food security.

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Food Insecurity in Homeless Families in the Paris Region (France): Results from the ENFAMS Survey

10.20944/preprints201712.0092.v1 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Judith Martin-Fernandez ◽

Sandrine Lioret ◽

Cécile Vuillermoz ◽

Pierre Chauvin ◽

Stéphanie Vandentorren

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Free Food ◽

Homeless Families ◽

Developmental Problems ◽

Single Parenthood ◽

Rehabilitation Centers ◽

Emergency Housing ◽

Paris Region ◽

Random Survey

The number of families sheltered in the Paris region (France) increased by a factor of 5 between 1999 and 2009. In 2013, a survey was performed on homeless families in order to characterize their living conditions, their health needs and the developmental problems in children. This random survey was conducted in 17 languages among homeless families sheltered in emergency centers for asylum-seekers, emergency housing centers, social rehabilitation centers and social hotels in the Paris region. The situation was particularly worrying regarding their food security. Indeed, only 14.0% of people were with food security, whereas 43.3% were with low food security and 9.8% very low food security (a situation where children are also affected). Stratified multivariate robust Poisson models showed that some characteristics can lead homeless families to be at higher risk of food insecurity and/or at higher risk of falling into very low food security, such as residential instability, single parenthood, having more than 3 children, depressive symptoms, housing in social hostels, difficult access to cheap or free food locally. These harmful situations are intolerable in such a wealthy region as the Paris region. They argue for a better detection of these families, a closer social follow-up and an increase in food aid.

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Procurement and delivery of food at holiday provision clubs

Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development ◽

10.5304/jafscd.2021.111.009 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Emily Mann ◽

Clara Widdison ◽

Zeibeda Sattar ◽

Margaret Anne Defeyter

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Free Food ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Nutritional Intake ◽

National Program ◽

School Food ◽

Food Standards ◽

Procurement Strategies

While school food initiatives across England support children’s nutritional intake during school term time, there is no universal state provision during the school holidays to reduce the risk of children experiencing food insecurity. In the absence of a national program of holiday provision, community organizations in disadvantaged communities have established holiday clubs offering free food and activities to children. This paper examines how these holiday clubs source food and the challenges of procuring food and delivering healthy meals that adhere to UK School Food Standards. Results indicate that holiday clubs adopt a variety of procurement strategies including relying upon donated food. While club leaders have sought opportunities to source food cost-effectively, the findings suggest significant challenges for these clubs to achieve their aim of delivering healthy meals. Findings point to needs for sustainable funding and the developing healthy food procurement policies and processes that align with a wider food strategy.

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The Extent of Participation in Urban Agriculture and Its Effect on Food Security in Africa and Asia: Evidence from Ghana and India

10.21203/rs.3.rs-52761/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Richard Kwasi Bannor ◽

Mohit Sharma ◽

Helena Oppong-Kyeremeh

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Urban Agriculture ◽

Free Food ◽

Seemingly Unrelated Regression ◽

Extension Education ◽

Urban Food Security ◽

Urban Households ◽

Food Security Status ◽

Unrelated Regression

Abstract This study examined the factors that influence the extent of urban agriculture participation and its effect on food security in Ghana and India. A total of six hundred and fifty urban agriculture farmers were interviewed for this study in Ghana and India. Food security status of urban households was assessed by the use of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale whereas the determinants of the extent of urban agriculture and its effect on food security were analysed by the use of the heteroskedastic linear regression and the Seemingly Unrelated Regression models, respectively. From the study on average, households in Ghana were mildly food insecure, but that of India was moderately food insecure. The results further revealed that, various demographic, economic, institutional and health and nutrition factors differently influenced urban food security and urban agriculture. Also, the extent of urban agriculture participation positively influenced food security. It is recommended that, Governments and NGOs interested in the reduction of urban food insecurity should aggressively advocate for urban agriculture in urban households through extension education. Interests could be stimulated by gleaning on health benefits of urban agriculture such as producing safe and nutritious food, the opportunity to consume chemical-free food and pursue urban agriculture as a business. The implication for research is that similar studies can be conducted in other emerging urban cities in Africa and Asia for the advocacy for specific urban food security policies and programmes.

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