Mutual aid food sharing during the COVID-19 pandemic: case study of Tompkins County, NY.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The COVID-19 pandemic led to greater food insecurity across the world, and government and charitable organisations did not always respond quickly enough or adequately to meet food needs. Mutual aid (MA) - neighbours helping neighbours to meet survival needs - mobilised residents to share food, often through outdoor food cabinets and refrigerators. This study aims to understand how MA food sharing was implemented, including food availability, acceptability, accessibility and impact on food access.

Design

This case study describes one MA food sharing system by triangulating data from flyers, notes from nineteen volunteer meetings, six cabinet host interviews, data extracted from 1387 social media posts and 356 photographs, and 111 resident surveys.

Setting

Tom

SUBMITTER: Hanson KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11604318 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature