Food Insecurity During the First Year of COVID-19: Employment and Sociodemographic Factors Among Participants in the CHASING COVID Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: While much has been reported about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity, longitudinal data and the variability experienced by people working in various industries are limited. This study aims to further characterize people experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic in terms of employment, sociodemographic characteristics, and degree of food insecurity. METHODS: The study sample consisted of people enrolled in the Communities, Households and SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology (CHASING) COVID Cohort Study from visit 1 (April-July 2020) through visit 7 (May-June 2021). We created weights to account for participants with incomplete or missing data. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to determine employment and sociodemographic correlates of food insecurity. We also examined patterns of food insecurity and use of food support programs. RESULTS: Of 6740 participants, 39.6% (n = 2670) were food insecure. Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic (vs non-Hispanic White) participants, participants in households with children (vs no children), and participants with lower (vs higher) income and education levels had higher odds of food insecurity. By industry, people employed in construction, leisure and hospitality, and trade, transportation, and utilities industries had the highest prevalence of both food insecurity and income loss. Among participants reporting food insecurity, 42.0% (1122 of 2670) were persistently food insecure (≥4 consecutive visits) and 43.9% (1172 of 2670) did not use any food support programs. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic resulted in widespread food insecurity in our cohort, much of which was persistent. In addition to addressing sociodemographic disparities, future policies should focus on the needs of those working in industries vulnerable to economic disruption and ensure those experiencing food insecurity can access food support programs for which they are eligible.

From multiple streams to a torrent: A case study of food policymaking and innovations in New York during the COVID-19 emergency.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant effects on urban and regional food systems. Local administrations worldwide have been challenged to design and implement policies to mitigate immediate food system disruptions while planning for longer-term equity and resilience. The fast pace and high degree of uncertainty of the pandemic have made systematic tracking and assessment of food system change and related policy responses arduous. To address this gap, this paper applies the multilevel perspective on sociotechnical transitions and the multiple streams framework on policy change to 16 months of food policy (March 2020 through June 2021) during the New York State-issued COVID-19 state of emergency, comprising more than 300 food policies advanced by New York City and State legislators and administrators. Content analysis of these policies revealed the most salient policy areas during this period, the status of legislation, and key programs and budget allocations, as well as local food governance and the organizational spaces within which food policy operates. The paper shows that food policy domains that gained prominence focused on support for food businesses and food workers and on ensuring and expanding food access through food security and nutrition policies. Most COVID-19 food policies were incremental and were limited to the duration of the emergency, yet the crisis allowed for enactment of novel policies that deviated from the common policy issues or the typical scale of changes proposed pre-pandemic. Taken together, and viewed through a multilevel and policy streams framework, the findings provide insight into the trajectory of food policymaking in New York during the pandemic and the areas that food justice activists, researchers, and policy makers should focus on as the COVID-19 pandemic is abated.

Food Crisis as a Tool for Social Change: Lessons from New York City's COVID-19 Response

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted food availability and affordability and changed the daily food practices of New Yorkers in three critical ways: (1) closing restaurants and public institutions, including schools, reduced food access and changed shopping patterns, food expenditures, and diets;(2) economic disruption exacerbated food insecurity and increased the need for food assistance;and (3) altered food practices affected diets. Vulnerable populations were disproportionately affected by these disruptions to the food system. The city's response included emergency measures to stave off food insecurity and hunger, yet the crisis also prompted a refocusing of food governance to address other social equity issues in the food system: fears of engaging with food programs by immigrant communities;disparities in access to online grocers;worker rights and worker ownership;and new priorities for the use of public space. The paper presents policy responses to the pandemic that illustrate how the crisis has opened opportunities for initiating changes that can lead to a more just food system.

Online Grocery Shopping by NYC Public Housing Residents Using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits: A Service Ecosystems Perspective

This paper examines adoption of online grocery shopping, and potential cost and time savings compared to brick and mortar food retailers, by New York City public housing residents using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. A mixed methods action research project involving the co-creation of an online shopping club, the Farragut Food Club (FFC), recruited 300 members who registered to shop online using SNAP, and received waivers on delivery minimums and provided technical assistance and centralized food delivery. We conducted a survey (n = 206) and focus groups to understand shopping practices;FFC members collected receipts of groceries over two weeks before and after the pilot to measure foods purchased, stores patronized, and prices. We interviewed FFC members to elicit experiences with the pilot, and estimated cost differences between products purchased in brick and mortar stores and equivalent products online, and transportation time and cost differences. Online shopping represented a small (2.4%) percentage of grocery spending. Unit prices for products purchased on Amazon ($0.28) were significantly higher than for equivalent products purchased in brick and mortar stores ($0.23) (p < 0.001.) Compatibility with existing routines, low relative advantage, and cost of online products limited the adoption of online shopping among SNAP users.