Including U: Brown Bag Conversations FOOD INSECURITY
Series Mission Develop community among staff, students, and faculty through dialogue, learning, and mutual visioning Engaging folks around campus in consideration of various experiences and identities in Higher Education, particularly those which may be underrepresented Provide information from experts in a topic as an introduction to certain lived realities in our campus or local community. Shed light on present efforts to work towards inclusion related to the topic presented Spark dialogue about challenges, ideas, concerns, and hopes regarding the development of inclusive practices at NDSU
Food Insecurity Presenters: Audra Stonefish Kevin Stockbridge Program Coordinator Harm Reduction Division Fargo Cass Public Health Kevin Stockbridge Coordinator, Inclusion and LGBTQ Initiatives NDSU
Introduction “InClusion” Who are you? Why are you here? What do you hope to get from or bring to this conversation? “InClusion” What does this term mean to you? What should it look like in action? What should it not look like in action?
Food Insecurity Food secure—These households had access, at all times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. 88.2 percent (112.3 million) of U.S. households were food secure throughout 2017. Food insecure—At times during the year, these households were uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they had insufficient money or other resources for food. 11.8 percent (15.0 million) of U.S. households were food insecure at some time during 2017. Low food security—These food-insecure households obtained enough food to avoid substantially disrupting their eating patterns or reducing food intake by using a variety of coping strategies, such as eating less varied diets, participating in Federal food assistance programs, or getting emergency food from community food pantries. 7.3 percent (9.3 million) of U.S. households had low food security in 2017. Very low food security—In these food-insecure households, normal eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake was reduced at times during the year because they had insufficient money or other resources for food. 4.5 percent (5.8 million) of U.S. households had very low food security at some time during 2017. (Information retrieved from: www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics.aspx )
Food Insecurity: Students
Food Insecurity 30% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE FOOD INSECURE 56% OF FOOD INSECURE STUDENTS ARE WORKING 75% OF FOOD INSECURE STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID 43% OF FOOD INSECURE STUDENTS HAVE A MEAL PLAN Stats taken from the 2018 GAO Report & 2018 Hunger on Campus (Facts found at www.CUFBA.org/resources )
Results From 2016 Survey Most NDSU students had enough of the kinds of food they want to eat (57%). A substantial number of NDSU students had enough to eat but not always the kinds of food they wanted (38%) and some NDSU students sometimes (5%) or often (<1%) did not have enough to eat. Students who sometimes or often did not have enough to eat indicated the largest challenges were not enough time to cook (66%), not enough money for food (53%), kinds of food I want are not available (39%), good quality of food not available (36%), and too hard to get to the store (31%). 26% of respondents said they sometimes or often worried about whether my food would run out before I got money to buy more. 35% of respondents said they couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals. 8% of respondents who had a child or children living with them said the child / children often or sometimes were not eating enough because I just couldn’t afford enough food. 11% of respondents were hungry during the last 12 months but didn’t eat because they couldn’t afford enough food. Over half of the students who didn’t always have the kinds of food they wanted or who sometimes or often didn’t have enough to eat said it negatively impacted their academic success. Few students made use of community food resources, such as Great Plains Food Bank (2%), Dorothy Day House (1%), WIC program (1%), Food stamps (2%), food from private organizations (3%), or emergency food pantry (1%). However, 5% said they had received food from friends or relatives. (Report found at: www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/otl/Documents/Assessment/NDSU_student_food_security_survey_FINAL.pdf )
Culture and Food Food Provides Security… 1. Through connection to home and family. (“Food Nostalgia”) 2. Through reference to religious practices and beliefs. 3. Through an act of building community 4. Through traditional practices of cooking and eating (See: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211912417300676 ; https://sfaajournals.net/doi/10.17730/0018-7259.76.1.15 )
Food Insecurity: Faculty/Staff
Resources NDSU Related: Student Health Services Clinic, Educational Resources, Dietician Student Volunteer Network and Student Activities President's Council for Campus Well-Being Student Success Programs Multicultural Office International Student and Study Abroad Services College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources American Indian Public Health Resource Center Public Health
Resources Websites and Organizations Feeding America National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness College and University Food Bank Alliance City of Fargo- Public Health Reading Materials: Food Pantry Tool Kit "Is College Student Food Insecurity Real?" "Hungry to Learn“ "Fighting Food Insecurity on Campus“ "Food Insecurity and SNAP Participation in the LGBT Community"
Discussion What might food insecurity look like for people in your department, classes, peer group, or office? What realities, practices, and assumptions can contribute to food insecurity or hunger? What prevents us from being aware of food insecurity? How can food insecurity impact performance, advancement of institutional missions, student success, or other such realities?
Discussion What does INCLUSION mean in light of Food Insecurity? What are ways that this could be practiced? Who is responsible for INCLUSION regarding people experiencing food insecurity? Who should be at the table as we are considering inclusion? What concrete steps could your area of the University take today?
Questions? Kevin.stockbridge@ndsu.edu Thank you Questions? Kevin.stockbridge@ndsu.edu