Beyond the charitable feeding system: non-traditional community-based access points to distribute healthy food in an urban-rural county in the United States.

Abstract

High levels of food insecurity have motivated some local jurisdictions to expand access to food outside of the charitable feeding system in the United States. This study compares the produce consumption behaviors among repeat and first-time participants of free food distributions at community-based sites. We administered a survey to 4,469 low-income participants at these sites during 2021-2023. The sample comprises recruits from 53 charitable feeding system sites (food pantries) and non-traditional sites (early childhood centers, schools, and clinics). We  examined differences in consumption behaviors among participants from non-traditional and traditional sites using multivariable logistic regression models. We tested whether repeat participants consumed more fruits and vegetables than first-time participants. Receipt of produce more than once at non-traditional sites was positively associated with meeting national recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption. Enrollment in federal food assistance programs showed similar associations. Distributing healthy food through non-traditional access points appeared to be a promising practice.