Lecture 10 Brock HLSC 2P91 - 28 Nov 2024 PDF

Sustaining Food Security in Niagara: HLSC 2P91 November 28, 2024 Joanne Heritz PhD Brock University  Overview Definitions Policy Brief Food Insecurity Community-based Initiatives Recommendations ...

Sustaining Food Security in Niagara: HLSC 2P91 November 28, 2024 Joanne Heritz PhD Brock University  Overview Definitions Policy Brief Food Insecurity Community-based Initiatives Recommendations  Definitions 1996 World Food Summit: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (FAO 1996). Food insecurity is the inability to afford adequate food to meet a household’s basic needs. Health Canada (2020) provides the following definitions of Food Insecurity: Marginally Food Insecure: At time during the previous year these households had indications of worry about running out of food and/or limited food selection due to a lack of money or food. Moderately Food Insecure: At times during the previous year these household had indications of compromise in quality and/or quantity of food consumed. Severely Food Insecure: At times during the previous year these households had indications of reduced food intake and disrupted eating patterns.  Food Affordability in Niagara: Nutritious Food Basket Survey MYTH: Households are food FACT: More adults in food insecure because they lack the insecure households shop with a skills to meal plan, budget, and budget. Meal planning and food cook meals. prep skills do not differ between food insecure and food secure adults.  Food Affordability in Niagara: Nutritious Food Basket Survey MYTH: Households are food FACT: Food insecure households insecure because they spend spend significantly less on money on other things. everything compared to food secure households and prioritize spending on basic needs above all else.  Food Affordability in Niagara: Nutritious Food Basket Survey MYTH: People who are food FACT: While individuals who insecure do not work. receive social assistance are at a greater risk for insecurity, the majority of households in Canada who report being food insecure are employed, receiving income from wages and salaries.  Food Affordability in Niagara: Nutritious Food Basket Survey MYTH: Food insecurity is a problem FACT: Food insecurity is an income solved by food. problem requiring income solutions. Research consistently shows that food insecurity is reduced by policies and interventions that improve the financial situation of individuals and families. Charitable programs are a temporary solution... they do not address the root cause of food insecurity.  Policy Brief What is public policy? How does it change? Is public policy static? What is a policy brief?  Policy Brief Sustaining Food Security in Niagara  Municipality Organization Increases in Food Bank Use Lincoln Food Insecurity Community Care WN 755 people monthly in 2023 20 % increase from 2021 to 2023 Fort Erie Salvation Army 200-300 people monthly in 2023 35% increase from 2022 to 2023 Grimsby GBF (Grimsby Benevolent Fund) 765 people in 2022, 515 in 2021 50% increase from 2021 to 2022 Niagara Falls Project Share 6,844 people in 2022, 11,670 people in 2023 65% increase from 2022 to 2023 NOTL Newark Neighbours 64 people in 2021, 140 people in 2023 118% increase from 2021 to 2023 Pelham Pelham Cares 1,586 visits 2022, 2,481 in 2023 56% increase from 2022 to 2023 Port Colborne Port Cares 1,762 people in 2022, 2,825 in 2023 & Wainfleet 60% increase from 2022 to 2023 St Catharines & Thorold Community Care 57,679 visits in 2022, 104,000 visits in 2023 82% increase from 2022 to 2023 Welland The Hope Centre 3286 people in 2022, 4865 in 2023 48% increase from 2022 to 2023 West Lincoln West Lincoln Community Care 3,770 people in 2022, 4582 in 2023 22% increase from 2022 to 2023  Food Insecurity Wages Income Housing Photo: Community Care West Niagara  Food Insecurity: Wages More people are earning lower wages over time 1998 – students working part- time occupied most minimum wage positions 2024 – 50 % of minimum wage workers are over 25 years old – 1 in 3 have a post-secondary education Food Banks extend hours to accommodate peoples’ work Image: Microsoft  Food Insecurity: Income Inadequate social benefits Almost two out of three people who access food banks are social assistance recipients: – 32.5 % ODSP – 26 % OW The number of people on ODSP and OW increased 50 % at Community Care St Catharines/Thorold in 2023  Food Insecurity: Housing Across Ontario 86% of food bank visitors are renters or tenants in social housing. Over 50 % of them report that their struggle to pay for housing is the primary reason for visiting food banks. Increases in rents Financialization of housing Increases in wait list for social housing: – 2019-2023: from 7,004 to 10,521 households Graphic by Ji Woo Lim  Food Insecurity Children Students Asylum Seekers & Newcomers  Food Insecurity: Children Feed Niagara: Over 40% of people relying on Feed Niagara food banks are children Project Share in NF: 35 % of people served are 19 years or younger Female lone parent families are likely to be food insecure, affect 46 % of families (StatsCan 2024) More likely to experience hyperactivity, inattention, lower academic achievement Children exposed to severe food insecurity greater likelihood of serious mental health problems National School Food Program – federal government Organizations in Niagara: – Food4Kids Niagara – Niagara Nutrition Partners – Community Crew Mural, Hope Centre, Welland  Food Insecurity: Post-Secondardy Students BUSU – Food First Program 2016 Grocery Gift Cards : – $16,000 in 2021/2022 – $47,000 in 2022/2023 Grab and Go Breakfasts Free Hot Breakfast Pay What You Can Pop Up Market – September 2023 – 80 attended – October 2023 – 100 attended – September 2024 – 125 attended  Food Insecurity: Asylum Seekers & Newcomers June 2022 – March 2023 – 3,000 asylum seekers transferred to Niagara – Niagara Falls – 16,000 hotel rooms Asylum Seekers do not receive adequate funding – impact on Niagara 60 out of 150 individuals served at Project Share were asylum seekers. Nutritional Needs -prefer perishable foods -may not feed formula/baby food to infants Photo: immigration.ca  Community-Based Initiatives in Niagara Niagara Food Security Network Food Systems in Niagara Community Gardens Food Systems in Niagara  Recommendations Federal Provincial Municipal  Indigenous Food Sovereignty Indigenous Food Systems Network https://www.indigenousfoodsystems.org/food-sovereignty Four key principles that guide the sovereignty movement in Indigenous communities: 1-Sacred or divine sovereignty – Food is a gift from the Creator 2-Participatory – Day to day practice of maintaining harvesting strategies 3-Self-determination – Respond to community needs for healthy Indigenous food 4-Policy – Reconcile Indigenous food values with colonial laws  Thank you: Council for Research in the Social Sciences Brock University Niagara Community Observatory Brock University https://brocku.ca/niagara-community-observatory/  Link to Policy Brief Brock University Niagara Community Observatory Policy Brief #58 Sustaining Food Security in Niagara Joanne Heritz PhD – [email protected]