2009 FSEP Conference

1. Measuring Food
Security in Jackson
Phil Tocco
Extension Educator
MSUE-Jackson County

2. Why Measure Food Security?

3. What is a Food Security Survey?
• An assessment of
need within a
community
• Fairly quantitative and
repeatable
• Highly configurable
based on research
goals

4. Developing the Survey
• Begin with the end in mind
• Seek input from a diverse stakeholder group
• Craft a basic survey instrument
• Pilot and revise survey as necessary
• Collect and analyze data

5. Components of the Survey?
• Demographic and Socioeconomic profile
• Community food resource profile
• Household food security assessment
• Assessment of food resource accessibility
• Food availability and affordability assessment
• Community food production resources
assessment

6. Demographic Profile
• Helps to describe
what the community
looks like.
• Parameters can
include:
– Age, Race
– Employment
• Poverty status
Photo Credit Getty Images
– Income

7. Food Resource Profile
• Determines the
adequacy of
community resources.
• Are food assistance
programs available?
• Is the community
participating?
• Are emergency
resources available?

8. Household Food Security
Assessment
• Main driver is to
determine if household
food security is a direct
personal problem.
• Key assessment
indicators:
– Perceptions of inadequacy.
– food budget anxiety.
– reports of reduced food
intake or consequences.

9. Food Resource Accessibility
• Assesses physical
access to food.
• Do grocery stores
exist in the
neighborhood?
• What barriers to
access exist?
• Is transportation
adequate?

10. Food Availability and Affordability
• Is there a variety of
food available in local
stores?
• Is the food
affordable?
• Can include a survey
of local grocery
stores.
Photo Credit Getty Images

11. Community Food Production
Resources
• Assesses the
community capacity for
local production and low
income access.
• Indicators include:
– Community gardens
– Local food purchases by
institutions and schools
– Value added production
or food processing

12. Partnership Park Demographics
• 20 square blocks
adjacent to
downtown.
• 85% renter occupied
• Median household
income is $15,966
• More racially diverse
than rest of city

13. Branded Neighborhood
• Gateway sign and
street banners.
• Historic street lighting.
• Monthly
neighborhood
stakeholder meetings.
• Annual neighborhood
events.

14. Community Activism Around Food
Security
• Active community
garden group in
neighborhood.
• MSUE, Faith-based
collaborations to
educate gardeners.
• Emphasis on hand-up
Photo Credit Citizen Patriot

15. Other Neighborhood Investments
• $12 million in
Public/Private
investments.
• 24 rehabs.
• 16 new urban in-fills.
• Significant sidewalk
repairs (191 squares).

17. Research Methods
• Developed and validated food security
instrument.
• 19 households randomly picked from each
subject area.
• Data subjected to simple T-test to determine
significance of differences among populations.

18. Home Ownership Rates

19. Hungry because they couldn’t
afford food

20. Lost weight because they
couldn’t afford food

21. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program Usage
SNA Program Partnership Park Adjacent area
Occurrences Occurrences
WIC 7 9
Free/Reduced 3 7
School Lunch
Project Fresh 0 1
Meals on Wheels 1 0
Food Pantries 10 7
Interfaith Shelter 3 2
Bridge Card/Food 16 12
Stamps
Community Garden 5 0

22. Key Takeaways
• Begin with the end in
mind
• Develop stakeholder
group
• Remember the data
are the starting point
Photo Credit Getty Images