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Charitable Food Systems’ Capacity to Address Food Insecurity: An Australian Capital City Audit

Author

Listed:
  • Christina M. Pollard

    (Faculty of Health Science, School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, Australia)

  • Bruce Mackintosh

    (School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth 6009, Australia)

  • Cathy Campbell

    (Faculty of Health Science, School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, Australia)

  • Deborah Kerr

    (Faculty of Health Science, School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, Australia)

  • Andrea Begley

    (Faculty of Health Science, School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, Australia)

  • Jonine Jancey

    (Faculty of Health Science, School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, Australia)

  • Martin Caraher

    (Centre for Food Policy, City University of London, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, UK)

  • Joel Berg

    (Hunger Free America, 50 Broad Street, Suite 1103, New York 10004, NY, USA)

  • Sue Booth

    (College of Medicine & Public Health, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5000, Australia)

Abstract

Australian efforts to address food insecurity are delivered by a charitable food system (CFS) which fails to meet demand. The scope and nature of the CFS is unknown. This study audits the organisational capacity of the CFS within the 10.9 square kilometres of inner-city Perth, Western Australia. A desktop analysis of services and 12 face-to-face interviews with representatives from CFS organisations was conducted. All CFS organisations were not-for–profit and guided by humanitarian or faith-based values. The CFS comprised three indirect services (IS) sourcing, banking and/or distributing food to 15 direct services (DS) providing food to recipients. DS offered 30 different food services at 34 locations feeding over 5670 people/week via 16 models including mobile and seated meals, food parcels, supermarket vouchers, and food pantries. Volunteer to paid staff ratios were 33:1 (DS) and 19:1 (IS). System-wide, food was mainly donated and most funding was philanthropic. Only three organisations received government funds. No organisation had a nutrition policy. The organisational capacity of the CFS was precarious due to unreliable, insufficient and inappropriate financial, human and food resources and structures. System-wide reforms are needed to ensure adequate and appropriate food relief for Australians experiencing food insecurity.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina M. Pollard & Bruce Mackintosh & Cathy Campbell & Deborah Kerr & Andrea Begley & Jonine Jancey & Martin Caraher & Joel Berg & Sue Booth, 2018. "Charitable Food Systems’ Capacity to Address Food Insecurity: An Australian Capital City Audit," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:6:p:1249-:d:152130
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Irem Sengul Orgut & Luther G. Brock III & Lauren Berrings Davis & Julie Simmons Ivy & Steven Jiang & Shona D. Morgan & Reha Uzsoy & Charlie Hale & Earline Middleton, 2016. "Achieving Equity, Effectiveness, and Efficiency in Food Bank Operations: Strategies for Feeding America with Implications for Global Hunger Relief," International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, in: Christopher W. Zobel & Nezih Altay & Mark P. Haselkorn (ed.), Advances in Managing Humanitarian Operations, chapter 11, pages 229-256, Springer.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christina Mary Pollard & Sue Booth, 2019. "Addressing Food and Nutrition Security in Developed Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-5, July.
    2. Sue Booth & Christina Pollard & John Coveney & Ian Goodwin-Smith, 2018. "‘Sustainable’ Rather Than ‘Subsistence’ Food Assistance Solutions to Food Insecurity: South Australian Recipients’ Perspectives on Traditional and Social Enterprise Models," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Mossenson, Sharonna & Giglia, Roslyn & Pulker, Claire E. & Chester, Miranda & McStay, Catrina & Pollard, Christina M, 2024. "Evidence for initiating food safety policy: An assessment of the quality and safety of donated food at an Australian food bank," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    4. Christina M. Pollard & Sue Booth & Jonine Jancey & Bruce Mackintosh & Claire E. Pulker & Janine L. Wright & Andrea Begley & Sabrah Imtiaz & Claire Silic & S. Aqif Mukhtar & Martin Caraher & Joel Berg , 2019. "Long-Term Food Insecurity, Hunger and Risky Food Acquisition Practices: A Cross-Sectional Study of Food Charity Recipients in an Australian Capital City," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Byrne, Anne T. & Just, David R., 2022. "Review: Private food assistance in high income countries: A guide for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    6. Tahna L. Pettman & Carmel Williams & Sue Booth & Deborah Wildgoose & Christina M. Pollard & John Coveney & Julie-Anne McWhinnie & Marian McAllister & Carolyn Dent & Rory Spreckley & Jonathan D. Buckle, 2022. "A Food Relief Charter for South Australia—Towards a Shared Vision for Pathways Out of Food Insecurity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-16, June.
    7. Ned Marshall & Carolyn Bendotti & Jessica Charlesworth & Barbara Mullan & Chloe Maxwell-Smith, 2024. "Food Banks as a “Treasure Trove”: Users’ Experiences of a Western Australian Food Relief Organization," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(8), pages 1-16, August.
    8. Christina M Pollard & Sue Booth, 2019. "Food Insecurity and Hunger in Rich Countries—It Is Time for Action against Inequality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-13, May.

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