1. Hunger Task Force Report
February 8th 2016

2. Access Subcommittee Goals
Assess unmet food needs and increase access points where needed
Develop recommendations to increase access and reduce barriers to obtaining unmet food needs

3. The Need

4. Assessments Key Informant Interviews Food Pantry Survey Food Interview
Food Assistance Provider Survey
Spatial Analysis

5. Key Informant Interviews
Met with community members who were identified as working with people who experience food insecurity
Key informant interviews
Jama Lidral (IC Free Lunch Program)
Joan Vandenburg (ICCSD)
Pastor Diane Townsley (Oxford UMC)
Tess Knox (Social Worker, CCA School District)
Focus groups/community meetings
Shueyville UMC
Swisher
North Liberty Unity
Sharon Center UMC
Oxford survey

6. Food Pantry Survey
Asked food pantry clients their opinions about the services they access, what they see as possible solutions in order to assess the need/barriers of those currently being served
473 survey responses from 6 pantries
Participating pantries:
The Crisis Center of Johnson County
Coralville Ecumenical Food Pantry
North Liberty Community Pantry
Iowa City Compassion
Solon Community Food Pantry
CCA Community Food Pantry (Tiffin)

7. Food Interview
Conducted in-depth interviews with people who self-identify as being food insecure but are not currently accessing services (SNAP, pantries, hot meal sites) to learn the need/barriers of those not currently being served
9 participants total
5 not currently accessing services
4 using services but still self-identifying need (older adults)
Respondents from North Liberty, Oxford, Iowa City
Iowa City respondents reside in low-income senior housing and mobile home courts

8. Food Assistance Provider Survey
Asked food assistance providers about their services, issues their organization and clients face, and what they see as solutions
13 Participating organizations:
Lone Tree Community Food Pantry
The Crisis Center of Johnson County
St. Joseph’s Pantry (Hills)
HACAP
Coralville Ecumenical Food Pantry
Elder Services/Meals on Wheels
North Liberty Community Pantry
Free Lunch Program of Iowa City
Iowa City Compassion
WIC
Solon Community Food Pantry
CCA Community Food Pantry (Tiffin)
Agape Cafe

9. Spatial Analysis
Used Crisis Center client data to generate heat maps of client density relative to existing resources: food pantries, grocery stores, senior dining sites, bus stops, backpack programs
Recommends site suitability for new locations of: backpack programs, senior dining sites, food pantries

13. Barriers to Increasing Food Security (Consumer)
Transportation
Lack of awareness about resources and eligibility requirements
Logistics of carrying heavy groceries when walking or using public transit
Stigma
Difficulties with completion and approval of SNAP application
Availability of healthy foods
Limited services (food deserts) in rural areas
SNAP not accepted at Farmers’ Markets and CSA’s
Program restrictions with providers for SNAP eligibility

14. Barriers to Increasing Food Security (Provider)
Lack of dry, cold, freezer storage in Johnson County
Regulations on storage, foods that can be accepted and distributed, eligibility for accepting SNAP (Feeding America, FDA, USDA, OAA)
Limited resources
Limited inventory to meet demand; including protein, non-food items, pet foods, donation of local produce
Lack of participation in summer feeding programs and school breakfast
Lack of interpreters
Limited culturally diverse foods (urban pantries)

15. Pantry Survey Key Findings

16. Pantry Survey Key Findings Cont.
58% receive half of more of their food from pantries
48% reported eating less than they wanted at least one time in the past 30 days because they did not have enough food
21% reported getting their food from friends or family in the last month

17. Pantry Survey Key Findings Cont.

18. Pantry Survey Key Findings Cont.
31% surveyed were not using the pantry nearest their home;
63% of those didn’t know about their community pantry
15% reported visiting more than one pantry in the last month
50% of those reported not receiving enough food at one pantry
53% of those reported visiting more than one pantry for the variety of items

19. Pantry Survey Key Findings Cont.

20. Provider Survey Key Findings
Little outreach conducted, yet a high demand for services
Fresh produce pantries would like to have more of; apples, potatoes, onions, carrots, melons, corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries
86% of pantries reported the highest demand items are meat, and eggs. Milk is also highly requested
100% of the urban pantries reported that their organization would benefit from translators and additional storage

21. Potential Solutions
Services
Systemic
Outreach

22. Problem-Solution Map