“It Has to Be Culturally Inclusive”: Food Distribution Services for Diverse Communities in New York City

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related economic challenges exacerbated food insecurity across New York State (NYS). Approximately one third of New York City residents reported use of emergency food services in the pandemic’s first year and, in 2021, approximately 1 in 10 NYS residents was food insecure, with rates among Hispanic and Black New Yorkers more than double that of White residents. Although these numbers have decreased following the acute phase of the pandemic, disparities by race and ethnicity persist and use of emergency food services remain elevated for New Yorkers born outside of the United States. Despite this, few policies and interventions that aim to improve the charitable and emergency food systems focus on the cultural relevance and appropriateness of foods provided. In 2022, researchers conducted 12 interviews with key stakeholders from organizations and institutions providing food distribution services to culturally diverse New Yorkers to understand barriers and facilitators related to providing culturally appropriate foods and elicit lessons learned and recommendations to inform future programs and policies. Findings from this study indicate that organizations serving diverse communities recognize the importance of providing culturally appropriate food services and make efforts to tailor these services accordingly. However, they face challenges that limit their capacity to offer foods consistent with the dietary needs and preferences of their clients. Additional funding, policies, and support are needed to improve the availability of culturally inclusive food distribution services within the emergency and charitable food systems.