Experiences of Food Bank Access and Food Insecurity in Ottawa, Canada

Enns, Aganeta; Rizvi, Anita; Quinn, Stéphanie; Kristjansson, Elizabeth

doi:10.1080/19320248.2020.1761502

Cited by 16 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Responses ranged widely across pantries in the degree to which many of these practices were implemented, signaling the need for greater consistency of client-centered practices. These results are consistent with smaller-scale studies citing the importance of being treated with dignity for clients visiting pantries ( 27 , 28 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Needs and Preferences Among Food Pantry Clients

et al. 2021

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Introduction Food pantries serve households in need, including many with a family member with a diet-related chronic disease, yet data on client priorities to inform hunger relief practices are lacking. We used a statewide client survey in Minnesota to determine needs and priorities of food pantry clients in 2017 and 2019 and to identify how well Minnesota pantries met those needs in 2019. Methods Our survey was administered in 2017 and 2019. Food pantries in Minnesota were mailed 25 surveys each, with instructions for administering the surveys anonymously to clients. Descriptive analyses compared 2017 and 2019 data and compared client priorities for foods and services with how often they were available at the pantry in 2019. Results The 2017 survey represented 4,321 clients from 188 pantries; the 2019 survey represented 5,529 clients from 220 pantries. Most measures of food pantry use were consistently high across the years; about three-quarters of clients had been visiting the pantry for a year or more. In 2019, 85% of clients said it was important to have fresh fruits and vegetables, but only 52% said these were always available. About two-thirds had a household member with a diet-related chronic disease. The ability to choose their own foods was clients’ top priority. Conclusion The types of food most requested by clients tended to be healthy but were inconsistently available. Most important to clients was being able to choose their own food. Results underscore the need for continued monitoring of client priorities.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Needs and Preferences Among Food Pantry Clients

et al. 2021

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“…Using the same data, Tarasuk et al (2019) found higher odds of food insecurity amongst households relying on social assistance, those without a university degree or with children under the age of 18, and individuals that lived alone, renters, and those identifying as Aboriginal. While surveys revealed that only 20 to 30 percent of those experiencing food insecurity were found to frequent food banks in Canada ( Tarasuk et al, 2014 ), pre-pandemic research from Ottawa ( Enns et al, 2020 ) and Vancouver ( Black and Seto, 2020 ) suggests that long-term users tend to be older, have health or mobility challenges, live in large households, and are less likely to have employment income. In terms of geography, previous research conducted at the provincial scale using data from the 2011–2012 CCHS found that the prevalence of food insecurity ranged across the country from 11.8% of households in Ontario to 41% of households in Nunavut ( Tarasuk et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Food Insecurity and Emergency And Communal Food Services In Canadamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Food insecurity is defined as an “inadequate or uncertain access to a sufficient quantity and/or adequate quality of food” due to a household's financial limitations ( Enns et al, 2020 ). This condition has been associated with reductions in nutritional outcomes ( Bhattacharya et al, 2004 ; Kirkpatrick and Tarasuk, 2008 ; Olson, 1999 ) and negative physical and mental health impacts in children and adults ( Elgar et al, 2021 ; Jones, 2017 ; Ramsey et al, 2011 ; Seligman et al, 2010 ; Stuff et al, 2004 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, while there is a wealth of literature that has examined the topic of geographic accessibility to healthy food through the “food desert” concept, there has been little research into accessibility to emergency and community food services. Previous work has explored differences in accessing food banks, such as how some households utilize food banks over short periods of time while others regularly utilize food banks as longer-term resource (e.g., Enns et al, 2020 ). In addition, transportation and locational considerations have been raised as key issues in food bank accessibility in previous qualitative research ( Smith-Carrier et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Changes in accessibility to emergency and community food services during COVID-19 and implications for low income populations in Hamilton, Ontario

Higgins

Páez

Kim

et al. 2021

Social Science & Medicine

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In this paper we analyze the changes in accessibility to emergency and community food services before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the City of Hamilton, Ontario. Many of these food services are the last line of support for households facing food insecurity; as such, their relevance cannot be ignored in the midst of the economic upheaval caused by the pandemic. Our analysis is based on the application of balanced floating catchment areas and concentrates on households with lower incomes (

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“…Today, food banks have attracted the attention of numerous scholars across the length and breadth of most developed countries (See, Campbell et al, 2013;Booth and Whelan, 2014;Caplan, 2016;Rombach et al, 2018;Prayogo et al, 2018). Owing to food banking being an effective response to food insecurity (Enns et al, 2020). Food banking could improve the food security status of those who constantly suffer from hunger.…”

Section: Food Banking In the Ashantimentioning

confidence: 99%

Perception and willingness to contribute towards food banking in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Mensah

Amrago

Asare

et al. 2021

IJSE

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PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the perception and willingness to contribute towards food banking in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachStructured questionnaire was used to elicit primary data for the study from 385 respondents via the multistage sampling approach. The quantile regression model was used to analyse the factors that influence the willingness to contribute towards food banks across quantiles of contribution. Factor analysis was further used to examine the perception of food banking.FindingsGender, education and awareness influence the quantiles of contribution. Gender positively influences contribution at the 0.50 quantile. Education negatively affects contribution at the 0.25 and 0.50 quantiles whereas awareness influences contribution at the 0.75 quantiles. The benefit perception of the user and the social status perception of receiving food from food banks convey a sense of positive knowledge concerning what food banking should entail.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides insights on the determinants affecting the contribution towards food banking across quantiles of contribution. However, it worth noting that, the study uses cross-sectional data which fail to account for the changes over time. A Longitudinal study would therefore be imperative concerning the implementation of food banking.Practical implicationsThe perceived positive knowledge of food banking is suggestive that, the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) should strengthen measures directed towards the implementation of food banking. Moving forward, non-governmental organisations on the verge of conducting a pilot implementation of food banks should give critical focus to the given area of study as the inhabitants are most likely to be attuned to such a course. Finally, to champion contribution amongst the inhabitants, leaders of food banking initiatives and other stakeholders should work in conjunction with residents that are aware of food banks at the high-income class. This procedure would aid in reducing the chances of low contributions to the implementation of food banking.Social implicationsThis paper provides empirical implications for the development of food banks in Ghana. The findings emanating from this study has substantial social implications, because it serves as an instrumental guide to the implementation of food banks by the MOFA, and when implemented would assuage the poor living conditions of individuals that do not meet a three-square meal per day.Originality/valueIn this research, the authors add to the body of knowledge by employing a quantitative approach. Moreover, the authors extend the frontiers of the methodological approach by using the quantile regression model to understand the factors that influence the contribution towards food banking across quantiles of contribution. Furthermore, several studies in the developed world have been geographically limited to UK, USA, Canada and Germany with few studies in Ghana. Besides, there is limited rigorous empirical study of the perception and willingness to contribute towards food banking in Ghana.

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Experiences of Food Bank Access and Food Insecurity in Ottawa, Canada

Cited by 16 publications

References 34 publications

Needs and Preferences Among Food Pantry Clients

Needs and Preferences Among Food Pantry Clients

Changes in accessibility to emergency and community food services during COVID-19 and implications for low income populations in Hamilton, Ontario

Perception and willingness to contribute towards food banking in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

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