Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19
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 Foodsha...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/952 |
| _version_ | 1797726237283581952 |
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| author | Brittney Cavaliere Carson Drew Katie Martin |
| author_facet | Brittney Cavaliere Carson Drew Katie Martin |
| author_sort | Brittney Cavaliere |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:42:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e76661413db496d9229e98b2712afe1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2152-0801 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:42:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e76661413db496d9229e98b2712afe12023-09-02T08:03:18ZengLyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food SystemsJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development2152-08012021-03-0110210.5304/jafscd.2021.102.044Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19Brittney Cavaliere0Carson Drew1Katie Martin2Foodshare, Institute for Hunger Research & SolutionsJohns Hopkins UniversityFoodshare, Institute for Hunger Research & SolutionsThe 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.https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/952Charitable FoodFood BankFood InsecurityFood PantryFeeding AmericaCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Brittney Cavaliere Carson Drew Katie Martin Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19 Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development Charitable Food Food Bank Food Insecurity Food Pantry Feeding America COVID-19 |
| title | Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19 |
| title_full | Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19 |
| title_short | Food bank drive-through distribution during COVID-19 |
| title_sort | food bank drive through distribution during covid 19 |
| topic | Charitable Food Food Bank Food Insecurity Food Pantry Feeding America COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/952 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brittneycavaliere foodbankdrivethroughdistributionduringcovid19 AT carsondrew foodbankdrivethroughdistributionduringcovid19 AT katiemartin foodbankdrivethroughdistributionduringcovid19 |