There’s no Food Security Without a Sustainable Food Distribution System

Written by Glen Pearson, Co-Executive Director, London Food Bank

Food security is really about three important facets: supply, demand and distribution. This pandemic has taught London a lot about each of these important issues.

First, supply.  When COVID-19 first struck, questions arose from various sectors as to whether there was enough nutritious food in London to feed those in need.  Within a few weeks, the answer was clear that, yes, London had the resources required to feed the marginalized. This confidence came from collaborative initiatives and impressive sharing among agencies, and groups like London Community Foundation and the United Way were quick to fill in whatever gaps were spotted.

And demand? It came as a surprise to many that the demand for the Food Bank’s services decreased during the pandemic by approximately 30%. This was hardly expected, but over time it emerged that government stimulus funds were sufficient enough to keep some from having to access feeding agencies. However, London Food Bank’s distribution to other agencies in the city increased. Accessibility of food became a significant issue during the pandemic as many individuals and families were hesitant to take public transportation. As a result, many agencies who did not previously offer food services to clients started to do so. This caused the number of food programs in the city to grow substantially.  Needless to say, some agencies struggled and the sharing among organizations to meet the need has been one of the most positive aspects of this community’s COVID-19 response.

So, supplies were sufficient enough to meet the demand. But then another reality emerged that became a lesson to us all: food supplies haven’t always been equitably distributed.  We have known for a long time that our community has had challenges with food distribution and this issue was brought into sharp focus during the pandemic. Many agencies had to close down part of their operations due to health directives and social distancing disciplines.  That meant that the capacity to feed hungry Londoners wasn’t at its normal levels and agencies scrambled to find innovative methods for getting past these hurdles.

Our ability to shift systems to meet demands was showcased in the community response to food security for the homeless. While many were housed in hotels during the crisis, funding agencies like governments, the United Way and London Community Foundation assisted organizations who were creatively thinking about how to ensure meals made their way to folks who needed them most.  A partnership between the London Food Bank, RBC Place, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, and Cargill produced hundreds of lunches each day that were then delivered from RBC Place London to the agencies requiring the extra assistance.  Plans are now underway to continue that effort post-COVID-19.  Other initiatives emerged that ultimately overcame the distribution problems confronted at the beginning of the pandemic.

COVID-19 has taught us some valuable lessons regarding food security and the capacity of this community to ensure it.  But just because food is available, sourced and nutritious, doesn’t mean it will effectively get to those who require it.  Some serious work must be undertaken regarding the distribution and how to make it more efficient and collaborative.  Our community’s response to food security during the pandemic has shown us that the will is there to build a better system.  To accomplish it, what’s next is to collaborate and to fund it. We can be bold yet humble as we work to ensure that our most vulnerable are not lost, even when we’re all confronting an emergency, like the pandemic.