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Charitable food programs in Victoria, BC
Elietha M Bocskei1, Aleck S Ostry
1Canadian Diabetes Strategy Community-based Program with Vancouver Island Health Authority and the Salvation Army Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre, Victoria, BC.
Summary
Charitable food programs in Victoria rely heavily on donations, with a low proportion of dairy and produce. This raises concerns about the nutritional quality of meals provided to vulnerable populations.
Area of Science:
- Food security research
- Public health nutrition
- Non-profit sector analysis
Background:
- Limited investigation into the institutional aspects of charitable food programs in Canada.
- Understanding the capacity of these programs to address food insecurity is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the institutional character of charitable food programs.
- To assess their capacity in addressing food security in Greater Victoria, British Columbia.
Main Methods:
- Survey of food program managers at charitable agencies in Greater Victoria.
- Analysis of the charitable food provision system, food sourcing, services, client demographics, and meal healthfulness.
- Examination of the proportion of purchased and donated food types.
Main Results:
- 36 agencies provided ~20,000 meals weekly to ~17,000 individuals.
- Total food value of $3.2 million, with 50% donated, primarily by corporations.
- Meat/alternatives (40.9%) and non-perishables (16%) formed the largest portion of food value; dairy was minimal.
Conclusions:
- Charitable food programs in Victoria are donation-dependent.
- Low levels of dairy and produce in donations question the healthfulness of food provided to food-insecure populations.
- Further research is needed to improve nutritional outcomes in food assistance programs.
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