The research project has identified over 102 program providing Food assistance across the region. In the absence of any other common data collection or reporting framework, it is hoped the data will now provide a baseline for future comparison and reporting where increasing levels of activity and demand may be identified and inform future planning and safety net food assistance services required by the most vulnerable in our region.
An analysis of the methods employed for this research project shows common themes emerging that should be considered when running a sustainable and efficient food assistant service.
These themes have been used to formulate recommendations to guide the future direction of GFAN, to enhance services, avoid duplication and to enable food assistance services to work in a more collaborative and cohesive and efficient way.
Author/Date
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Topic/Focus
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Context/Setting/Method
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Findings
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Limitations/Gaps
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Eisinger, P (2002)
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Effectiveness of food assistance programs
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Statistical analysis based on 92 surveys of food programs in Detroit, America
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Program effectiveness may be assessed by:
1) Demand & supply trending congruently
2)Whether organizations ever have to turn people away
3)Organizations capacity for leveraging resources by referring clients other social services
Characteristics of effective programs included: presence of paid staff, strategic planning, seeking technical assistance from external networks, intake interviews, computer storage of files & regular staff meetings
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Statistical sound analysis techniques utilized but some conflicting results
Survey results purely anecdotal
Can effectiveness be measured purely on technical issues? Also reflects humanness/ empathy
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Australian Food Hub Network (2013)
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Food Hubs
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Descriptive
Food hubs within Australia alongside International case studies
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Food hubs can act as the “middleman” in local food networks
Food hubs working directly with farmers in marketing & distributing food, helping local communities, business & food pantries access more fresh local food.
Community shared agriculture can aid farmers in getting a fair price & create strong community connectedness
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Food hubs seen only in a positive light. No mention of logistical or other problems.
Little information/data as to whether or not those most at need (disadvantaged groups) are benefitting from accessing more local fresh food.
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CERES Fair Food (2010)
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Fair Food Social Enterprise
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Descriptive
Organic food delivery service across Melbourne
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CERES Food Fair helps
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Reconnects people with their food
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Ensure fair trade for farmers
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Reduces food mileage
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Supports disadvantage workers
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Utilises food hosts
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Stated as a “Profit for Purpose” initiatives with profits returning to educational & community development projects but no mention of how food transport is funded i.e paid employees, volunteers
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Barrett, C (2002)
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Economic viability of food assistance programs
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Descriptive
American & International food assistance programs
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Food assistance programs have the potential to be expensive & ineffective
Food assistance programs are vital safety net as there are gaps in social services.
Schemes such as Food for Work can help reduce poverty and improve food security simultaneously.
Initiatives such as subsidized food and nutritional education show potential but need more evaluation.
There is considerable variation in effectiveness across models, need more work comparing models.
There is no single pathway to food security for all.
Need for continued data collection as program approaches changing rapidly.
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Written from largely economic viewpoint, little consideration for human stories
Most data collected relates purely to Food Stamp Program
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Gunderson, C & Oliveira, V (2001)
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Food Stamp Program
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Statistical analysis of 3, 452 Food Sufficiency Questionnaire responses in America
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Largest food assistance program in the USA is the Food Stamp Program.
Participants fell there is stigma associated with using food stamps.
Time & travel costs spent recertify eligibility at offices.
Food stamp recipients are more likely to be food insufficient than similarly situated non-participants when analysed purely descriptively which is a counterintuitive result in reducing food insecurity.
Clarification is made using a simultaneous equation model which shows participation in food stamp program has no impact on food insufficiency.
Many variables may contribute to these results i.e over –reporting food insufficiency by recipients, under-reporting of food stamp usage.
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Sound statistical analysis but at least 3 sources of bias noted
Need to analyse administrative records along with survey
Must consider personal responsibilities i.e Food stamp recipients still require the skills to ration & utilize food stamps appropriately to ensure food is more secure
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Kilpatrick, S & Tarasuk, V (2009)
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Food assistance program participation in low income families
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Statistical analysis of 501 low income Canadian families
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Foodbank usage is positively associated with reliance on government entitlements.
Delayed payment of utilities bills in response to food shortage was most commonly employed coping strategy.
Participation rates in Community kitchens & gardens were very low.
No significant association between regular participation in children’s school food programs and household food security was shown.
Participation in food banks & school based programs did not improve household food security.
Food programs are reaching only a small proportion of those in need warrants critical examination.
No link between frequency of foodbank use & severity of household food insecurity.
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No details regarding family’s knowledge of food programs i.e do they know where & what services are available to them
No baseline (longitudinal) figures to compare participation rates to
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Briefel et al (2003)
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Food assistance programs
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Randomised Statistical analysis of survey results from 5,822 clients using food assistance programs across America
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The Emergency Food Assistance System (EFAS) network is formed largely by private organizations with some federal support.
These programs are vital as they offer community-based assistance.
45% of food pantry clientele households contain children.
9/10 Food pantry clients are happy with the amount & variety of food offered.
Transportation issues are cited as the main barrier to accessing food when they need it.
EFAS clients experience more severe hardships compared to the general low income population i.e more health problems & material hardship
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Participants received an incentive payment to participate which may have lead to more positive responses
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Loopstra-Masters, R & Tarasuk. V (2012)
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Food assistance programs in Canada
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Descriptive analysis of numerous surveys of food program participants in high needs areas of Canada
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Community-based food programs are the only response to household food insecurity.
Despite all efforts these programs are intrinsically unresponsive to need.
Limited selection & quality of the food at Foodbanks is noted as a deterrent by recipients.
Confusion regarding location & eligibility criteria of food programs.
For better results programs need reinforcement by government to address disadvantage.
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Highlights many problems/issues regarding food assistance programs but no recommendations for improvement options
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Black et al (2012)
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Food subsidy programs
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Systematic review of 14 programs targeting socially disadvantage groups Internationally
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Special Supplementary Nutrition Program for Women participants showed 10-20% increased consumption of targeted foods.
Small increased mean birth weight in babies of antenatal participating mothers.
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Limited number of rigorous studies to analyse
Limited measures of long term nutritional improvements
Very limited measured outcomes for males & children
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Epp, S (2011)
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Food security related policies
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Descriptive scan of food policies in Canada
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Local food will play a prominent role in increasing food security.
Local programs should demonstrate community capacity building & emphasise grassroots decision making.
Ongoing evaluation is critical & will help funding opportunities.
Transport subsidies can increase food affordability.
Business Incentive Policy-rebates to local produces to make prices more competitive.
Act to Combat Poverty & Social Exclusion – 2 methods for tackling food insecurity firstly short term addressing immediate needs along with long-term interventions to empower people.
Very few programs address multiple components of food security.
Many provinces support food security policy in development in agriculture or health but not both.
Ultimate aim is policies that take into account food security, poverty, health, agriculture & the environment.
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No program evaluation data
Programs were instigated quite recently so no long term outcome information
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Outback Stores (2013)
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Nutrition Strategy
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Description of Outback Store initiatives increasing healthy & nutritional food to Indigenous Australians living in remote communities
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There is a large gap between the cost of food between urban & remote communities & people in remote communities are often on lower incomes.
The costs of healthy foods have risen more than the cost of less nutritious foods in recent years.
Interventions will be more effective when they address food supply & are part of a multi-strategy approach.
Demand for healthy choices can be increased by strategies which bias the stocking, pricing & marketing of healthy foods.
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No evaluation data presented to indicate if the stores are improving nutritional intake in remote Indigenous communities
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Lucas et al (2013)
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Healthy Start supplementary nutrition program
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Qualitative analysis of 192 interview responses from parents, health professional & retailers involved in Healthy Start Program across England
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Healthy Start was introduced to provide a safety net to vulnerable low income pregnant women, new mothers & children under 4.
Designed to encourage healthy choices as vouchers can only be used to purchase milk, fruit & vegetables, vitamins & baby formula
Vouchers can be used at major supermarkets & local retailers.
No alcohol/cigarettes.
Some retailers have been known to ben rules
Some at risks groups still missing out.
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No quantitative outcome analysis or comparison group utilised
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Nelson et al (2011)
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Emergency food relief including Food Hub
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Descriptive scan (interviews, surveys & literature review) of current initiatives & thoughts for future directions in food programs in Ontario, Canada
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Strength of system is collaborative relationships/networks between service providers and community groups.
Challenges: Insufficient funding & resources, Inadequate food supply, Stigma associated with using EFR.
Food Hub widely cited as best practice in literature for provision of EFR.
Initially Food Hub solely for storage & distribution of ERF food but potentially moving to a model of skills development, training & advocacy.
Recommends an independent board of directors.
Food Hubs can be market- orientated or community-orientated.
Diversification of activities to allow for profit ventures, combination of funding & in-kind support.
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Good description of food hub theory but very few practical guidelines as food hubs design/operations are based on their environment. No one-size –fits-all solution
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Pansing et al (2013)
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Food Hubs
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Descriptive program scan & literature review of food hubs in North America
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Local food hubs have the potential for investment & policy impact on local economy & job creation.
Many food hubs manage risk by selling directly to consumers for profit.
Large gaps exist in literature regarding start up cost, investment levels & local economic impact.
Recommends feasibility study & business plan.
Success is reliant on business management team to coordinate supply chain logistics.
Risks: access to capital & cash flow challenges, poor business planning & inadequate food supply.
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Many food hubs are less than 5 years old so limited long term outcome data and evaluation findings
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PMSEIC (2010)
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National food Security
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Descriptive report on issues/challenges related to food security in Australia
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Food is a fundamental right.
Solutions to food insecurity will require input from all levels of society.
Food is not just a commodity, linked to national economic, social & physical well being.
Future of food programs need health, social & environmental focus.
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Notes the many challenges to improving food security and the need for government support but no concrete policies or course of action presented
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Foodwise(2013)
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Food waste
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Descriptive articles regarding food waste in Australia
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20-40% of fruit & veg rejected due to cosmetic demands.
Farmers alone cannot address the food supply problem.
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NSW Centre for Public Nutrition (2003)
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Food security
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Food security options paper examining approaches to food security interventions in New South Wales/Australia
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Our community’s health must be seen as a resource worthy of investment.
Strong correlation between socioeconomic status & diet quality.
Need to create supportive environments to enable behavioural change.
Noted the need for more work in the area of developing thorough planning and evaluation criteria for food security interventions.
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Thorough planning framework for food security interventions
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Community Foundations of Canada (2013)
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Local food programs
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Descriptive Vital signs report of quality of life indicators in Canada
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Local food production can aid in providing sustainable, good quality produce appropriate for the community demographic.
People must have access to foods that address their values such as halal, organic & gluten free.
New interventions/approaches must move forward to reflect modern issues.
Issues such as poverty, the state of the environment, health & the economy converge at food.
Food can be a vital link in building community cohesion.
Food bank usage is rising but so is hunger, need something more/new.
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Informative article listing many food assistance initiatives and their target populations but only limited and short term data presented
Little information on if and how programs have been evaluated.
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Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit (2010)
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EFR awareness raising
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Executive summary of Do the Math, Eat the Math Campaign
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Do the Math, Eat the Math Campaign exposed members of parliament to eating from a standard EFR parcel for a week to
raise awareness & advocate for change.
Public education may help donation of healthier options (lower sodium, more fresh produce).
A success models requires public & private participation to leverage resources far beyond the budgeted amount.
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Ontario Association of Food Banks (2012)
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Food banks
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Framework for distribution of EFR within Onatrio’s Food assistance programs
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Food relief should be based around equity.
Donations should be shared to ensure all clients/agencies have access to diverse healthy produce.
Programs must be transparent & equitable.
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Purely a theoretical framework, no operational examples of how these theories roll out
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3 Pillars Network, 2012)
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Food Summit
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Conference report on limits/issues/models for Australia’s food system
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Food production in the future will need to supply more people with fewer resources. Need to look for alternatives.
Around $848 million of fresh produce goes to landfill each year.
Community must regain control of their food system.
Need to make food security communal community goal through new technologies & mass communication.
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Big challenge to balance people’s food needs with environmental & waste issues, how?
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Australian Government (2012)
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Food policy & sustainability
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National Food Plan, Australia
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Low income is the strongest indicator of emergency food assistance usage.
Addressing food supply alone is insufficient, need policy change also.
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Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination (2013)
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Emergency food assistance programs
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Recommendation report for service providers in Guelph Wellington, Canada
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Advocate for social reform by raising public & political awareness.
Transport companies must make the necessary changes to enable easier access to food services.
The way EFR is provided can add/subtract to the sense of exclusion, choice based system recommended.
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Very rarely are clients of EFR involved in decision making, need presence on board
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The Stop Community Food Centre (2013)
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Community food centre
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Description of food centre in Ontario, Canada
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Need to move away from ‘band aid’ approach of standalone food banks to more holistic approach.
Clients must be involved in decision making process.
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Purely positive – no mention of challenges/hurdles to overcome
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Eagle Street Roof Top Farm, 2013)
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Roof top produce farming
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Description of roof top farming & education/training in Brooklyn, America
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Move food relief from transaction model to community capacity building through education/training.
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Mention of data collected from CSA initiative but no details available. Is this program increasing abundance of healthy local food for those in need or just a novelty?
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Nguyen & Wong (2009)
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Refugee food assistance services
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Descriptive mapping of food relief services in Fairfield, New South Wales
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Refugee numbers are increasing.
Refugees experience an increased prevalence of food insecurity.
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Just purely a mapping exercise, no indication of refugee’s experience/obstacles with accessing services
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Anglicae Australia (2012)
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Food security
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Descriptive analysis of 590 Anglicare client surveys fro 63 sites across Australia
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Food insecurity is not just about hunger, it reflects poverty & social exclusion.
Successful programs must be able to respond to local challenges.
Need integrated approach between community development programs & EFR to help those most at need.
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Herzfeld (2010)
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Emergency food assistance programs
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Descriptive anaylsis of interviews from 28 EFR service providers in Tasmania
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Improvement in food assistance is reliant on community development & assets.
Providers need to be assisted with relevant resources.
Need work to mainstream EFR to reduce stigma.
Networks & strong local food supply model are vital for program success.
Reliant on ability to obtain funding & local volunteer workforce.
EFR needs to be delivered through mix of strategies & models.
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Article highlighted potential reliance of people on EFR a potential area for future research
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Hughes (2011)
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Food Share Model
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Description of Food Share Model in Albury-Wodonga, Australia
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Community based food model can help provide sustainable food whilst enhancing community self reliance & social justice.
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Food Share model requires corporate support & buy in from local businesses for success, limited data on sustainability of this
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Morrisson (2008)
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Food security
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Descriptive background & policy check regarding food security in the city of Darebin & Australia
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Food relief models must not only provide nutritional support but social support as well.
Environmental restrictions will increase the price of food if other alternatives are not explored.
Sliding Door social enterprise offering Cert 2 in Hospitality to CALD.
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Predicted outcomes & suggestions for new initiatives but no statistical evidence to support program effects
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Fieldman & Kujawa (2012)
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Food policy
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Descriptive food policy council report , North Carolina, America
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Food hub should facilitate sharing of information as well as hardware.
Forming communication & structural groups are important to move forward.
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Problems getting young people & disadvantaged people engaged
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Feeding America (2013)
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Emergency food assistance programs
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Description of federal food assistance program across America
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Emergency food assistance must provide nutritious food as related to the HEI (Healthy Eating Index).
Food banks working in partnership with local agencies.
Massive infrastructure of warehouses, refrigerated trucks, trained staff & volunteers
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Only 17% food is HEI rated ? nutritional quality of the remaining 83%
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