JAFSCD Article Heads-up: COVID's impact on school meals, AFNs, food deserts, & food banks

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Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development

[1]Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Developemtn

JAFSCD Article Heads-up ~ April 30, 2021

[2]University of Vermont

[3]Johns Hopkins University

[4]Kwantlen Polytechnic University

JAFSCD is published with the support of our annual partners

Read about new peer-reviewed papers from the special JAFSCD issue on the
Impact of COVID-19 on the Food System.

The issue is cosponsored by [5]INFAS—the Inter-Institutional Network for
Food and Agricultural Sustainability.

[6]JAFSCD Website

[7]Logo for COVID-19's Impact on the Food System

[8]"Why Is Plant-Based Important Now?" webinar announcement

Peer-reviewed papers on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Food System

Lunchroom staff (before COVID) in Ithaca, NY

Dedication, innovation, and collaboration for school meals in Connecticut

[Peer-reviewed COVID-19 paper by Katherine Connolly, Molly I. Babbin, Sarah
L. McKee, Kevin McGinn, Juliana F. W. Cohen, Sandra M. Chafouleas, and
Marlene B. Schwartz]

[9]Full article

When school buildings across the U.S. closed in March 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, many school districts mobilized to establish emergency
school meal programs to operate outside the setting of school cafeterias.
The aim of this convergent mixed-methods study, "[10]Dedication,
innovation, and collaboration: A mixed-methods analysis of school meals in
Connecticut during COVID-19," was to (a) examine the structure and rates of
participation in the spring 2020 meal programs in Connecticut, and (b)
obtain insight into the challenges, strategies used, and lessons learned
during this time by foodservice leaders.

Although the National School Lunch Program provides meals at the standard
price, reduced-price, or no cost based on student household income, all
emergency meals during spring 2020 were provided at no cost following the
school closures. The average number of meals distributed from March to May
2020 was significantly lower than the overall participation rates prior to
COVID-19. However, participation rates in April and May 2020 approached
those of free and reduced-price meal participation a year earlier.

Four key action themes emerged from the interviews: (1) tailor the program
to community needs and resources; (2) identify strategies to facilitate
participation; (3) develop partnerships to coordinate school, municipal,
and community efforts; and (4) establish programs that encourage
resiliency. The interviewees also saw this event as an opportunity to
improve the perception of school meals. Innovations developed during the
spring 2020 school building closures provide a road map for best practices
for the 2020–2021 school year and beyond.

Suggested Facebook post:

Schools that offered free school meals in Connecticut shared their lessons
learned on meeting needs, collaborating, and planning for resiliency. #NSLP
Read for free in the special COVID @JAFSCD issue co-sponsored by INFAS:
[11]https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.020

Suggested Tweet:

Schools that offered free #schoolmeals in #Connecticut shared their lessons
learned on meeting needs, collaborating, & planning for resiliency. @JAFSCD
#NSLP Read for free in the special COVID issue co-sponsored by INFAS:
[12]https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.020

(Photo above from Wood's Earth and used with permission.)

Alternative food distribution networks, resilience, and urban food security
in Turkey during COVID-19

[Peer-reviewed COVID-19 paper by Nurcan Atalan-Helicke and Bürge Abiral]

[13]Full article

Pandemic-induced disruptions to conventional food production, distribution,
and consumption networks have revealed problems with the global food system
and have drawn attention to the re-localization and regionalization of food
systems. Lockdown and mobility restrictions have also disrupted the
availability, quality, and stability of food. We evaluate how AFNs have
responded to these challenges in a non-western context through a case-study
approach informed by participant observation and semistructured interviews.

The new article, "[14]Alternative food distribution networks, resilience,
and urban food security in Turkey amid the COVID-19 pandemic," explores the
potential of alternative food networks (AFNs) for food security and
resilience as COVID-19 has raised challenges to the global food supply
chain. After examining the multiple factors that have been critical to the
emergence and expansion of AFNs in Turkey since the mid-2000s, we argue
that these food distribution networks have aimed to address food security,
environmental sustainability, and farmer livelihoods in complementary ways.

Suggested Facebook post:

Can alternative food networks ensure food security and resilience in the
face of the challenges of #COVID19 to the global food system? Case studies
from Turkey showed that two AFNs continued their services and addressed
increasing demand. They also provided special solidarity packages for those
adversely affected. Read the full @JAFSCD article for free:
[15]https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.021

Suggested Tweet:

Can alternative food networks ensure #foodsecurity & #resilience during
#COVID19 #pandemic? In Turkey, 2 #AFNs continued services, met increasing
demand, and provided solidarity packages for those in need. Read @JAFSCD
article for free: [16]https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.021

([17]Photo by [18]Flickr member Niko Nyman and used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.)

The overlapping effect between the number of COVID-19 cases and food desert
communities in North Carolina

A Novel Approach to Understanding Food Desert Dynamics

[Peer-reviewed COVID-19 paper by C.-L. Liang, L. Kurkalova, L. Hashemi
Beni, T. Mulrooney, M. Jha, H. Miao, and G. Monty]

[19]Full article

Food deserts—the geographic areas characterized by both low income and poor
access to healthy food—are a reality in many urban and rural communities in
the U.S.

In a new JAFSCD research brief, "[20]Introducing an innovative design to
examine human-environment dynamics of food deserts responding to COVID-19,"
Liang, Kurkalova, Hashemi Beni, Mulrooney, Jha, Miao, and Monty compare the
incidence of COVID-19 in food deserts versus other communities in North
Carolina and present a new approach to modeling the dynamics of food
deserts within a CHANS (coupled human and natural systems) framework.

KEY FINDINGS

The North Carolina example has identified the potential overlapping areas
between food deserts and number of COVID-19 cases to demonstrate how an
unpredictable event could exacerbate public health in food desert
communities to a greater extent than elsewhere. The research brief outlines
the data needs and steps to develop a food desert CHANS modeling framework,
which could help the understanding of the dynamics of food deserts so the
communities are equipped to identify strategies to prevent, prepare for,
and respond to food deserts and to disruptive events that can exacerbate
issues with healthy food access in the future.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH

A four-stage process to develop an integrated food desert CHANS platform
for communities to use involves:
1. Geo-coding the spatial-temporal database for both human and natural
factors that jointly influence the food availability, accessibility,
affordability;
2. Developing an integrated modeling system that links human systems to
natural systems to better understand and respond to food desert issues;
3. Testing the modeling system to validate the reliability and the
robustness for the area of interest; and
4. Disseminating the modeling outcome to stakeholders.

Suggested Facebook post:

Food deserts—the geographic areas characterized by both low income and poor
access to healthy food—are a reality in many urban and rural communities in
the U.S. In a new JAFSCD research brief, a team of researchers led by
Kathleen Liang compares the incidence of COVID-19 in food deserts versus
other communities in North Carolina and presents a new approach to modeling
the dynamics of food deserts within a CHANS (coupled human and natural
systems) framework. Read the new article in the special COVID issue of
JAFSCD for free: [21]https://doi.org/10..5304/jafscd.2021.102.037

Suggested Tweet:

Do food deserts overlap with high incidences of COVID-19? Researchers at
@infoCEFS #NCAT @NCCU examine this in #NorthCarolina & present new approach
to modeling within a CHANS (coupled human and natural systems) framework.
Read in @JAFSCD for free: [22]https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.037

(Map is from the article and used courtesy of the authors.)

CEFS logo

New food insecurity requires new food bank responses

[Peer-reviewed paper by Brittney N. Cavaliere, Carson Drew, and Katie S.
Martin]

[23]Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented surge in food insecurity
and demand for free food. In response, Foodshare/Connecticut Food Bank, the
food bank serving Connecticut, created a drive-through distribution program
to meet the immediate food needs of residents.

In a new JAFSCD article, "[24]Food bank drive-through distribution during
COVID-19: A reflective essay,"authors Brittney N. Cavaliere, Carson Drew,
and Katie S. Martin of the Institute for Hunger Research & Solutions at
Foodshare/Connecticut Food Bank reflect on findings from two surveys of
people receiving food at the drive-through distribution to help inform
Foodshare/Connecticut Food Bank’s programming and response to the pandemic..

KEY FINDINGS
* The majority of people coming to the drive-through distribution are
Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
* 70% of households receiving food had never gone to a food pantry or
other program to receive free food prior to COVID-19
* 67% of households said they come to the drive-through distribution at
least once a week
* 86% of households are not going elsewhere to receive free food, and
only 37% know of other places to get free food
* The majority of households (58%) said they would be interested in
talking with a coach over the phone to set and achieve financial and other
goals and to connect to other community resources and services.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY AND RESEARCH

The drive-through distribution model created by Foodshare/Connecticut Food
Bank and many other food banks is a temporary and emergency response. This
model presents challenges, particularly during the New England winter, and
is an expensive endeavor. As the pandemic persists, Foodshare/Connecticut
Food Bank and other food banks will need to continue to adjust operations
and pivot from short-term pandemic assistance to longer-term approaches
focused on shortening the food line and reducing racial and ethnic
disparities. Recommendations for the charitable food system include:
* Advocating for stronger federal programs, including a higher minimum
wage, to address root causes of hunger.
* Using food banks and pantries as an access point to additional
wrap-around services to improve financial stability and self-sufficiency
* Expanding SNAP application assistance, particularly in communities of
color

Suggested Facebook post:

Over 70% of households receiving food assistance at a drive-through
distribution in Connecticut had never gone to a food pantry or assistance
site before the COVID-19 pandemic. A new article published in @JAFSCD by
the #FoodshareInstitute reflects on the increased need for food assistance
brought on by the pandemic, how @Foodshare responded, and how the
charitable food system can shift to address root causes of hunger.
@CTFoodBank Read in JAFSCD for free:
[25]https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.044

Suggested Tweet:

New article published in @JAFSCD by the #FoodshareInstitute reflects on the
increased need for food assistance brought on by the pandemic, how
@Foodshare responded, and how the charitable food system can shift to
address root causes of hunger. @CTFoodBank Read for free:
[26]https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.044

(Photo above courtesy of the article authors.)

Logo for the Impact of COVID-19 on the Food System

Commentaries on COVID-19 and the Food System

Farming in the time of pandemic: Small farms demonstrate flexibility,
innovation, and hope, by Nora E. White

[27]Full Article

A global food systems framework for pandemic prevention, response, and
recovery, by Anastasia S. Lambrou, Isha Berry, Amelie A. Hecht, and Alain
B. Labrique

[28]Full Article

New survey shows COVID-19's impacts on South Carolina oyster farmers and
offers hope for recovery, by Steven Richards and Marzieh Motallebi

[29]Full Article

Book review: Chris Smaje's A Small Farm Future

[Review by Hannah Lohr, University of Kansas]

[30]Full article

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References

1. https://foodsystemsjournal.org/
2. http://www.uvm.edu/foodsystems/
3. http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-a-livable-future/
4. http://www.kpu.ca/isfs
5. https://asi.ucdavis.edu/programs/infas
6. https://foodsystemsjournal.org/
7. https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/issue/view/44
8. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/why-is-plant-based-important-now-tickets-152125087231
9. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.020
10. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.020
11. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.020
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15. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.021
16. https://doi.org/10..5304/jafscd.2021.102.021
17. https://www.flickr.com/photos/spushnik/2078559939/in/photolist-4aFask-8si57e-8SUKbb-8R4Zmj-7nnd26-cxgcCJ-8SRGb8-dxsV6g-dxywYY-dxyvmq-dxtdxM-dxt3vM-7jwSnk-dxymNE-6QfmfZ-5m4otR-dxyetf-2kKmd65-dxyvwC-dxt4BH-dxt4HK-dxyjqs-dxyGmj-dxyGuj-dxt6dx-61CJub-dxynsm-6Qfn4Z-dxyv4J-dTW72A-kqpB1-dxyw77-rcHT9V-xRmjSh-dxyuVG-2g4hDSw-7RX8WS-dxywnf-aL18bT-dxysZh-5Y6FrK-dxyww1-7iq3Go-dxyqrS-i8edGq-dxt7hp-i8e1uP-dTQsSR-dTQsM8-dxt1jH/
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31. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/jafscd-email-list
32. https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/csj
33. https://www.givegab.com/campaigns/local-food-journal
34. http://www.lysoncenter.org/
35. http://www.centerfortransformativeaction.org/
36. http://www.centerfortransformativeaction.org/
37. https://www.givegab.com/campaigns/local-food-journal
38. https://www.givegab.com/campaigns/local-food-journal
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