Disaster Food Insecurity in Coastal North Carolina: Closing Information and Coordination Gaps.

Abstract

Context: Disasters can triple the risk of food insecurity for vulnerable households, with effects lasting years beyond the initial shock. In North Carolina, where hurricanes are frequent, local organizations face growing pressure to support communities with limited resources and fragmented information systems.

Objective: This study aimed to identify data and information gaps faced by organizations addressing disaster food insecurity and the tools they use to record, access, and share data and information.

Design: A qualitative, exploratory study combining semi-structured interviews and workshops with organizational representatives engaged in disaster food security governance.

Setting: Coastal North Carolina, specifically New Hanover and Pender Counties, both highly affected by hurricanes and with active food policy and disaster response networks.

Participants: Representatives from 18 organizations, including nonprofits, governmental agencies, food banks, pantries, and other community actors involved in food security and disaster response.

Main outcome measures: Organizational experiences and perceived needs related to data, information access, and communication tools for disaster food insecurity response.

Results: Two central themes emerged: (1) data and information are often functionally inaccessible, that is, mismatched to organizations' needs, poorly formatted, or incomplete and (2) there is a need for reliable and suitable data and information tools to coordinate action within an organization and across diverse organizations during and after disasters. Respondents emphasized the need for integrated, user-friendly, low-barrier geospatial information systems that enable real-time data exchange and collaboration, particularly for smaller nonprofits with limited capacity.

Conclusions: Effective disaster food security governance requires practical tools that synthesize and share relevant data across organizational boundaries. Investing in integrated information platforms and low-barrier communication systems can strengthen coordination, reduce duplication of services, and improve food security outcomes after disasters. These findings underscore the importance of supporting nonprofits and cross-sector coalitions with accessible data resources to enhance preparedness and response in hurricane-prone regions.