Evaluation of the Food Literacy Project's "Nourishing Food Literacy, Community Health and Sense of Place in Louisville, Kentucky" Initiative.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Community-based organizations, such as Food Literacy Project, Inc. (FLP), focused on cultivating food justice through increasing access to healthy foods in under-resourced areas are uniquely positioned to positively affect the nutrition landscape. This article reports on an evaluation of FLP's efforts in implementing food justice programming.

Methods: A single, longitudinal case study evaluation framed within the socioecological model included the collection of survey, interview and focus group, on-site observational and field notes data at multiple points throughout the evaluation period of July 2019 through August 2020.

Results: Research findings lauded FLP's initiatives providing food access, creating youth advocacy programming, and fostering community connections. However, critical need existed to implement initiatives by individuals who reflected the communities in which they served on land that was fully secured for tenure and ownership.

Conclusions: The results from this evaluation suggest a call to action for non-profit organizations to build and maintain trust in under-resourced communities. When applying for grants, partnering with academic institutions and implementing programming, the site team members, as well as evaluation team members, should be intentional to identify (e.g., race, gender, residence, socioeconomic status, education level) with the community in which the initiatives aim to serve.