Working to ReduceFood Insecurity in Boston

Mayor’s Office of Food InitiativesElizabeth Miller

Food Security Fellow

LIVED EXPERIENCES OF FOOD INSECURE BOSTONIANS…

We look at the school lunch menu every week.

There’s alot of stuff my daughter doesn’t

want to eat that they serve at school,

so we have to pick the days with the worst food, when I’ll send her to school with lunch from home. Because I can’t

afford to send her with lunch from home every day.

I would like to go to Market Basket because it’s cheaper and good

quality, but I can’t take all my bags on the bus home from there and I

don’t have a car.

There are a lot of us in my house. We

have to go to the corner store a

lot to buy staples like milk and bread when we run out, but it’s expensive there and sometimes the food is

expired. We can only go to the supermarket when my son or

daughter isn’t working, because they have cars. But

they work a lot.

I usually have to wait untilI get my Social Security

check to go food shopping.

OFI OVERVIEW

Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives MissionImprove equitable access to nutritious food in order to foster a more food secure city with vibrant, inclusive food cultures, reflective of the diverse residents of the Boston.

OFI OVERVIEW

Food Security (USDA)Access by all members of a household, at all times, to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum:

The ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods.

Assured ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways (that is, without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing, or other coping strategies).

Physical> Can get to it

Social> Culturally Appropriate and Inclusive

Economic> Can afford it

Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives

OFI Moving ForwardMaking the Shift to Focus on Food Security

OFI, from founding… …to TODAY.Boston Bounty Bucks Partnering with the State incentive program (HIP), great

potential for expansion

CANshare Source of farmers market SNAP matching dollars. Strengthened by HIP. $104,000 raised on 2016/2017.

Farmers Markets Conversations with community partners to find opportunities to make FMs more accessible for all.

Boston Food Policy Council Now the Boston Food Equity Task Force, will reconvene soon; GOAL: develop and implement plan to reduce food insecurity in Boston

Urban Agriculture Rezoning Work, Article 89

Commercial and household activities happening across Boston; OFI considering opportunities beyond Article 89.

Food Trucks Now under Dept. of Neighborhood Dev.

Project Oscar Dept. of Enviro., Energy, & Open Spaces exploring opportunities to support, grow program

SHIFTING THE FOCUS TO FOOD INSECURITY

OFI MOVING FORWARD

Phase 1: Baseline assessment of food insecurity in Boston

Phase 2: Develop, implement plan to address food insecurity, hunger

Phase 3: Monitor, evaluate, adjust initiatves for continued impact

Information gathering

Community collaboration Monitor impact

Needs/asset map• Demographics• Food needs • Food resources

Resident listening sessions• Small “focus groups” to

understand access issues faced by residents

• What’s working? What’s not?

Resident survey

Conversations with key informants from community

OFI as bridge builder• Leverage, support,

expand community resources

• Explore opportunities with partners, think “outside the box”

Boston Food Equity Task Force• Develop, implement

plan• Community stakeholders

will help to move the needle

• Representation from lg. service providers to grassroots groups and beyond

Define meaningful metrics of success

Adjust initiatives as needed to ensure efficacy

Consider long-term sustainability of initiatives

Food Security Fellowship

Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives

Assessing the NeedData to Inform the Plan

Mapping The Population

Mapping the Need

Mapping the Assets

A Closer LookBoston Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Questionnaire Responses(based on CDC BRFSS; administered by BPHC)

19.4 (FOODACCESS8) ““We were hungry but didn’t eat because we couldn’t afford enough food.” (Responses of “often” and “sometimes” in the last 12 months by coloration.)

19.3 (FOODACCESS7)“The food that we bought just didn’t last, and we didn’t have money to get more.” (Responses of “often” and “sometimes” in the last 12 months by coloration.)

DATA SOURCE: Boston Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BBRFSS), 2013, 2015, Boston Public Health Commission DATA ANALYSIS: Boston Public Health Commission Research and Evaluation Office

A Closer Look

19.3 (FOODACCESS7)“The food that we bought just didn’t last, and we didn’t have money to get more.” (often, sometimes, or never true in the last 12 months?)

34.9%responded “often true”

or “sometimes true”

A Closer LookHousehold SNAP Participation by Neighborhood

DATA SOURCE: Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, October 2015 Data.

34.9% are struggling with food insecurity according to BRFSS and yet…

A Closer LookHouseholds by Household Type  Total: 0 to 4 5 to 17 18 to 34 35 to 59 60+

Boston               639,594                    3,319  0.5%                   5,978  0.9%                 14,097  2%                 15,757  2%                   5,361  1%

East Boston                 44,512                    3,319  7.5%                   5,978  13.4%                 14,097  32%                 15,757  35%                   5,361  12%

Nativity and Citizenship Status

  Total

U.S. citizen, born in the United States %

U.S. citizen, born in Puerto Rico or U.S. Island Areas %

U.S. citizen, born abroad of American parent(s) %

U.S. citizen by naturalization % Not a U.S. citizen %

Boston               639,594                444,293  69%                 13,840  2%                   8,512  1%                 80,223  13%                 92,726  14%

East Boston                 44,512                  20,662  46%                   1,250  3%                       406  1%                   4,526  10%                 17,668  40%

Poverty Status - Total and by Age

  Total

Population living below poverty level

Under 6 years living below poverty level

Age 6 to 17 living below poverty level

Age 18 to 59 living below poverty level Age 60+ living below povery level

# % # % # % # % # %

Boston               597,942                131,241  22%                 10,879  2%                 20,600  3%                 82,286  14%                 17,476  3%

East Boston                 44,344                    8,947  20%                   1,213  3%                   1,725  4%                   5,053  11%                       956  2%

Housing Tenure

 % of Renter Occupied Units

Boston 66%

East Boston 73%Source: American Community Survey 2010-2014, BPDA Research Division Analysis

High rates of children and older adults, more vulnerable to FI.

High rate of non-US citizen residents, likely with limited/no access to public assistance, employment opportunities, etc.

Interestingly, not particularly high poverty rate despite high food insecurity indications.

Less home ownership, potentially indicating more housing instability.

Food Equity Task Force Members testify to City

Council on behalf of OFI, propose renewed

Healthy on the Block corner store initiative.

September 2018

THANK YOU

Elizabeth Miller, MPA

Food Security FellowMayor’s Office of Food InitiativesCity of Boston

Elizabeth.Miller@Boston.gov617.635.0708

Food@Boston.gov