Food Security Task Force (of the Valley Council for Health & Human Services)

Established in January/2014, the Food Security Task Force is charged to:

1)      identify the current lack of assured access to food throughout the Valley communities; to measure the level of need for food services in the Valley

2)      identify/engage the current organizations and systems that are addressing food insecurity in the Valley region; gain an understanding of the current capacity to address food insecurity in the Valley

3)      research the issues of hunger and access to food, and provide insights that will inform long-range strategic planning

4)      develop and support the vision toward a Valley Food Bank Network

The current focus of the Food Security Task Force (Spring/2014) is an ongoing oversight and advisory of a Valley Hunger Study which was recently approved by this Task Force and made possible by the Valley United Way and Prudential. Conducted over the next 4 – 6 months, this study project will include:

  •  a printable one-sheet guide to accessing food services in the Valley that will be made available in all public offices, community providers, and Valley Corporate Human Services offices
  •  a regional profile to help assess the level of need for food services in the Valley; this  includes “need profiles” for each of the Valley cities/towns
  •  an outlay of existing food pantries/banks that are addressing food insecurity
  •  existing resources/assets in the Valley to support or directly address food insecurity
  •  surveys/insights from food pantries as well as individuals whom access food pantries
  •  shed light on barriers to access and usage of food services among those in need
  •  community/regional best practices research in the area of addressing food insecurity