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

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.

scholarly journals Outcomes of disease prevention and management interventions in food pantries and food banks: protocol for a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. e018022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R Long ◽  
Brett Rowland ◽  
Susan C Steelman ◽  
Pearl A McElfish
Keyword(s):  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Or Management ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Food Pantries

IntroductionFood insecurity is a difficulty faced in many households. During periods of food insecurity, households often seek food supplied by food pantries and food banks. Food insecurity has been associated with increased risk for several health conditions. For this reason, food pantries and food banks may have great promise as intervention sites, and health researchers have begun targeting food pantries and food banks as sites for disease prevention or management interventions. The aim of the scoping review is to examine disease prevention or management interventions implemented in food pantries and food banks.Methods and analysisRelevant electronic databases (eg, MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature-CINAHL Complete, Science Citation Index, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) will be searched for articles with a publication date of 1997 or later using Medical Subject Headings and key terms, including food aid, food banks, food pantries, food shelves, hunger, food insecurity and related concepts. For each de-duplicated study record identified by the search strategy, two reviewers will independently assess whether the study meets eligibility criteria (eg, related to intervention type, context). The reviewers will examine studies’ titles, abstracts and full text, comparing eligibility decisions to address any discrepancies. For each eligible study, data extraction will be executed by two reviewers independently, comparing extracted data to address any discrepancies. Extracted data will be synthesised and reported in a narrative review assessing the coverage and gaps in existing literature related to disease prevention and management interventions implemented in food pantries.Ethics and disseminationThe review’s results will be useful to healthcare practitioners who work with food-insecure populations, healthcare researchers and food pantry or food bank personnel. The results of this scoping review will be submitted for publication to a peer-reviewed journal, and the authors will share the findings with food pantry and food bank stakeholder groups with whom they work.

Food banks, welfare, and food insecurity in Canada

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (9) ◽  
pp. 1405-1417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Tarasuk ◽  
Naomi Dachner ◽  
Rachel Loopstra
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Recent Emergence ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Similar to the recent emergence of food banks in other affluent nations, the genesis and ultimate entrenchment of food banks in Canada has been tightly intertwined with the dismantling of the welfare state. Through an examination of Canadian data, the authors elucidate the implications of entrenching voluntary, extra-governmental, charitable food assistance programs as an adjunct to publicly funded social assistance programs. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Publicly available food bank reports, population health survey data, and the results of a study of low-income families in Toronto are reviewed to examine the food security status of social assistance recipients and their use of food banks. Findings – In 2012, 70 percent of households in Canada who were reliant on social assistance were food insecure. Social assistance recipients comprise at least half of food bank clientele and have done so for as long as this information has been tracked, but the assistance provided by food banks appears insufficient to alter households’ food insecurity. Although food banks currently distribute over 200 million pounds of food annually, the scale of their operations pales in comparison to the food needs of those who seek their help. Originality/value – In the 30 years since food banks began in Canada, there has been considerable research into this response, as well as extensive population monitoring of food insecurity. Canada provides an informative case study of an affluent country's long-term dependency on charitable food assistance and the impact this has on the food insecurity of those reliant on social assistance programs.

scholarly journals Impact of Welfare Benefit Sanctioning on Food Insecurity: a Dynamic Cross-Area Study of Food Bank Usage in the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
RACHEL LOOPSTRA ◽  
JASMINE FLEDDERJOHANN ◽  
AARON REEVES ◽  
DAVID STUCKLER
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Unemployment Insurance ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Welfare Benefit ◽  
Household Food ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

AbstractSince 2009, the UK has witnessed marked increases in the rate of sanctions applied to unemployment insurance claimants, as part of a wider agenda of austerity and welfare reform. In 2013, over one million sanctions were applied, stopping benefit payments for a minimum of four weeks and potentially leaving people facing economic hardship and driving them to use food banks. Here we explore whether sanctioning is associated with food bank use by linking data from The Trussell Trust Foodbank Network with records on sanctioning rates across 259 local authorities in the UK. After accounting for local authority differences and time trends, the rate of adults fed by food banks rose by an additional 3.36 adults per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.71 to 5.01) as the rate of sanctioning increased by 10 per 100,000 adults. The availability of food distribution sites affected how tightly sanctioning and food bank usage were associated (p< 0.001); in areas with few distribution sites, rising sanctions led to smaller increases in food bank usage. In conclusion, sanctioning is closely linked with rising food bank usage, but the impact of sanctioning on household food insecurity is not fully reflected in available data.

Food Bank Usage Is a Poor Indicator of Food Insecurity: Insights from Canada

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Loopstra ◽  
Valerie Tarasuk
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Representative Subset ◽  
Poor Indicator ◽  
Regular Measurement

This article reflects on the insights afforded by the regular measurement and monitoring of household food insecurity in Canada juxtaposed against information on food bank usage in the population. We show that the number and characteristics of people using food banks suggest that this population is a non-representative subset of the food insecure population. We also highlight how the number of people using food banks is insensitive to the level of household food insecurity in the population. Who goes to food banks is a function of the nature of food bank operations and the severity of food insecurity. Representative data on household food insecurity should be regularly collected and utilised to make policy recommendations for interventions to address the problem of insecure food access.

Beyond food insecurity

2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (11) ◽  
pp. 2614-2631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chung-Yi Chiu ◽  
Jessica Brooks ◽  
Ruopeng An
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to inquiry dietary behavior and the physical and mental health status of food pantry users to better understand issues related to food insecurity and to explore predictors of intentions for self-sufficiency. Design/methodology/approach The authors randomly surveyed 12 food pantries (151 consumers) sponsored by the North Texas Food Bank in USA, regarding dietary behavior, health status, reasons for food pantry use, satisfaction with services provided, and self-sufficient behavior and support. Findings About 37 percent of survey participants would expect to continue using food pantry services for one or more years. Reasons for food pantry use included low job earnings, unemployment, poor health, and disability. Over 83 percent of them were either overweight or obese, and over half (57 percent) of them had moderate or severe mental disorder symptoms that warrant examination by healthcare practitioners. On average, their health-related quality of life was lower than the general population. Participants’ physical health was significantly correlated with work intention. The hierarchical regression model predicting work intention had a large effect size. Research limitations/implications This research has highlighted the importance of improving food pantry consumers’ health and self-sufficiency in order to live sufficiently and healthily. Practical implications Community health practitioners need to help food banks address the needs beyond hunger to focus on the larger ramification of food insecurity such as self-sufficiency and health-related quality of life. Originality/value This work extends the existing studies focused on food insecurity, and it will enable the collaborations among food banks, social workers, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and public health practitioners.

Food pantries select healthier foods after nutrition information is available on their food bank’s ordering platform

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Katie Martin ◽  
Ran Xu ◽  
Marlene B Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Brown Rice ◽  
Interrupted Time Series ◽  
Baseline Period ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Low Fat ◽  
Regional Food ◽  
Food Pantries ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Canned Fruit

Abstract Objective: In the USA, community-based food pantries provide free groceries to people struggling with food insecurity. Many pantries obtain food from regional food banks using an online shopping platform. A food bank introduced a visible nutrition rank (i.e. green, yellow or red) onto its platform. The hypothesis was that pantry orders would increase for the healthiest options (green) and decrease for the least healthy options (red). Design: Interrupted time series (ITS) analysis of a natural experiment. Monthly data included nutrition ranks of available inventory and itemised records of all products ordered during the 15-month baseline period and 14-month intervention. Setting: A New England food bank. Participants: The twenty-five largest food pantries in the network based on pounds of food ordered. Results: Descriptive analyses of 63 922 pantry ordering records before and after the visible ranks identified an increase in the proportion of green items ordered (39·3–45·4 %) and a decrease in the proportion of red items ordered (10·5–5·1 %). ITS analyses controlling for monthly changes in inventory available and pantry variables indicated that average monthly orders of green items increased by 1286 pounds (P < 0·001) and red orders decreased by 631 pounds (P = 0·045). Among the largest changes were increases in orders of fresh produce, brown rice, low-fat dairy and low-fat meats and decreases in orders of sugary juice drinks, canned fruit with added sugar, higher fat dairy and higher fat meats. Conclusions: This promising practice can support system-wide efforts to promote healthier foods within the food banking network.

scholarly journals Outcomes of disease prevention and management interventions in food pantries and food banks: a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e029236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R Long ◽  
Brett Rowland ◽  
Susan C Steelman ◽  
Pearl A McElfish
Keyword(s):  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators ◽  
Food Aid ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Food Pantries

ObjectiveFood insecurity affects millions of Americans and is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. Food insecure individuals often obtain food from food pantries/banks, prompting health researchers to implement disease prevention/management interventions at these sites. This review examined the existing peer-reviewed research on disease prevention/management interventions implemented in food pantries/banks.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesDatabases searched included MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane. Search strategies included Medical Subject Headings and key terms, including food pantry, food bank, food shelf, food aid and related concepts.Eligibility criteriaStudies were included if they described an intervention involving food pantries/banks where at least one biometric indicator was included as an outcome variable. Articles focused solely on the quality of foods distributed, the diet quality of food pantry/bank clients or government food aid programmes were excluded.Data extraction and synthesisExtracted data included publication details, intervention type, study design, participant characteristics, study outcomes, and barriers and facilitators of intervention implementation.ResultsA total of 3317 articles were assessed for eligibility. Six studies met the predefined inclusion criteria. The studies employed a range of intervention approaches to manage or prevent a number of chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and HIV. The studies examined a range of biometric outcomes, including body mass index, glycated haemoglobin and blood pressure. Information about the food pantries/banks where the interventions were conducted was lacking. The studies documented multiple barriers and facilitators related to costs, sustainability and organisational capacity.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first review to examine disease prevention and management interventions conducted in food pantries and food banks. Given the high number of households who obtain food from food pantries/banks and the chronic health conditions associated with food insecurity, this review highlights the need for more high-quality research in this setting.

scholarly journals Experiences of increased food insecurity, economic, and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic among SNAP-enrolled food pantry clients

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Robin T. Higashi ◽  
Anubha Sood ◽  
Ana Belen Conrado ◽  
Kathryn L. Shahan ◽  
Tammy Leonard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Economic Stress ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Food Needs ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic initially doubled the rates of food insecurity across the United States, and tripled rates among households with children. Despite the association among food insecurity, chronic disease and psychological distress, narratives depicting the experiences of already-food insecure populations are notably underrepresented in the literature. This study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on clients of a food pantry who were also enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Design: A qualitative study probing the effects of the pandemic on daily living, food needs, food buying, and food insecurity. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a combined deductive and inductive approach. Setting: Interviews were conducted via telephone between May-June of 2020. Participants: Equal numbers of English- and Spanish-speaking clients (n=40 total). Results: Three main findings emerged: (1) The pandemic increased economic distress, such as from job loss or increased utility bills due to sustained home occupancy; (2) The pandemic increased food needs, food prices and food shortages. In combination with economic stressors, this led to greater food insecurity; (3) Increased economic stress and food insecurity contributed to increased psychological stress, such as from fear of infection, isolation, and children being confined at home. Conclusions: Despite federal legislation and state and local programs to alleviate food insecurity, COVID-19 exacerbated economic hardship, food insecurity, and psychological distress among urban SNAP and food pantry clients. Additional research is needed to identify the most effective policies and programs to ameliorate the short- and long-term health and economic inequities exacerbated by the pandemic.

scholarly journals Comparing German and Italian food banks

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (10) ◽  
pp. 2425-2438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meike Rombach ◽  
Vera Bitsch ◽  
Eunkyung Kang ◽  
Francesco Ricchieri
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Procedural Knowledge ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
User Interaction ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Framework

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate food bank actors’ knowledge of food insecurity in Germany and in Italy, as well as interactions between food bank actors and food bank users. The study builds on a knowledge framework from an educational context and applies it to food banks. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a qualitative research approach. In all, 22 in-depth interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed through inductive qualitative content analysis. Findings German and Italian food bank actors interviewed had at least situational knowledge on food insecurity. Some actors of the Italian food bank also showed procedural knowledge. Interactions between food bank personnel and users were affected by feelings of gratitude, shame, anger and disappointment. Originality/value The study explores food bank personnel’s knowledge on food insecurity, which appears to be a knowledge gap, even though many prior studies were dedicated to food banks and food insecurity. The study contributes to knowledge systematization to provide best practice recommendations for volunteer-user interaction, and suggests how food bank managers and volunteers’ knowledge can be improved.

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