Combating Food Insecurity with Collaboration: Webinar Takeaways

Hosted Thursday, July 21, 2022

by the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs, Administration for Community Living

Speakers: Kathryn Tucker, ACL Consultant, and Tim Getty, Heritage Area Agency on Aging

Go to the YouTube recording

What is food insecurity? 

• Food security defined by USDA: “access by all people at all times to enough food for an

active life.”

• Low food security: poor nutrition quality and limited variety; little or no sign of reduced

food intake.

• Very low food security: reports of skipping meals or not eating; reduced food availability.

How Food Insecurity Affects Health

• The 2019 Healthy Aging poll found that of those who reported being food insecure:

o 45% had fair-to-poor physical health, compared to 14% of those food secure.

o 24% had fair-to-poor mental health, compared to 5% of those food secure.

o 43% had a fair-to-poor diet, compared to 20% of those food secure.

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)

• SDOH: conditions where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age.

• Affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes and quality of life.

• SDOH domains are economic stability (includes food insecurity), education, health and

health care, neighborhood and build environment, and social and community context.

Federal Assistance Programs

Older Americans Act (OAA) Senior Nutrition Program

• Program intent: reduce hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition; promote socialization;

promote health and well-being.

• Provides congregate or home-delivered meals; nutrition screening, education, and

counseling; supplemental food; and food boxes.

• Target populations: those with low income, members of minority groups, people in rural

areas, those with limited English proficiency, and those at risk for institutional care.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• To qualify, households must meet certain income requirements, but older adults can use

medical deductions to increase the benefits they are eligible to receive.

• Provides monthly benefits that can be spent locally and online.

• Can apply by phone or online – there are services that can help with application process.

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)

• Distributes nutritious USDA food to adults 60+. The food contains nutrients older adults

typically lack in their diets: calcium; iron; and vitamins A, C, and D.

• To qualify, participants must meet certain income requirements.
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Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)

• Increases access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs and the domestic 

consumption of agricultural products through farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and 

community-supported agricultural programs. 

• The program is for seniors with low income.

• In some states, the SFMNP and SNAP programs collaborate to increase purchasing 

power of the benefits they provide (e.g., “Double Up Food Bucks”).

Collaboration – Why, Who, and How

• Benefits: eliminate duplicate efforts, improve communication, build networks, avoid 

burnout, increase impact, engage stakeholders, foster long-term change. 

• Potential partners: hunger organizations, coalitions, and task forces; food pantries and 

feeding centers; schools; faith-based organizations; and more.

• Collaboration key steps:

o Avoid being territorial. 

o Find your organization’s champion. 

o Communicate goals and objectives. 

o Keep a record, including timelines and resources used.

o Visit partners and enlist specialists. 

o Collect data and share with partners.

Increasing Your Program Resources

• Ensure federal assistance programs are being utilized effectively before adding more 

services. 

• Recruit volunteers, who are a critical part of executing OAA programs. 

• Volunteers can help with tasks such as serving/delivering meals, transportation, grocery 

delivery, creating meal kits, coordinating/staffing food drives, and counseling services.

• Fundraising can be intimidating, but it helps serve more older adults. Try activities like

charity walks/runs, auctions, tournaments, book/craft sales.

Food Insecurity Resources

• Nutrition and Aging Resource Center (ACL)

o Quick Guide to Title III-Title VI Nutrition Collaboration 

o Business Acumen Basics for Senior Nutrition Programs 

o Senior Nutrition Program Meal Services Elements for Sustainability 

o Options for Contracting Meals 

o Partnerships with Foodbanks and Other USDA Programs 

o Volunteer Engagement and Recruitment Resources 

• USDA Definitions of Food Security and Stats (USDA)

o USDA Screening and Survey Tools

o USDA Commodity Supplemental Food Program State/Local Agency Information

• CDC Food and Food System Resources During COVID-19 Pandemic (CDC)

• Food Research & Action Center

• Feeding America

• Defeat Malnutrition Today
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o National Blueprint: Achieving Quality Malnutrition Care for Older Adults

o Quality Malnutrition Care

• Malnutrition for Professionals (National Council on Aging) 

• Malnutrition Solution Center (American Society of Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition)

• Nutrition Focused Physical Exam (Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics)