Food Pathways to Community Success.

Abstract

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization et al. (2020), approximately 811 million people around the world do not have access to adequate food to live active and healthy lives. This has led to an increase in reliance on food assistance programs, a service available mostly in more economically developed countries. Other compounding cost of living-related factors such as inadequate income, inflation and the subsequent fuel poverty, have led to an increasing reliance on private-sponsored ‘food bank’ assistance programs that contain less nutritious foods that contribute to a forced unhealthy lifestyle. Community building endeavours such as community kitchens, hubs and social supermarkets also play an important role in addressing food and fuel poverty, including mental health and wellbeing. Using examples of various initiatives from the United Kingdom (UK), this chapter discusses pros and cons of food assistance programs, their impact on people’s health and wellbeing, and their role in creating sustainable and resilient local food systems.