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Food Assistance Deserts in Central Florida: Identifying Service Gaps Using Spatial Analysis

Food Assistance Deserts in Central Florida: Identifying Service Gaps Using Spatial Analysis Food assistance works to relieve food insecurity, a persistent problem in the United States disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. In this study, we take a closer look at geographical service gaps in food assistance using Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis to measure food assistance deserts, a term for areas where the nearest food assistance location is more than a mile away from the population centroid of a block group. By combining geographic data with data from the American Community Survey, we identified characteristics and predictors of food assistance deserts. Our results indicate that locations of food assistance in Central Florida are generally responsive to the needs of the community but are lacking in more affluent areas. This research was made possible through a partnership between our institution and Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. The affordability and accessibility of this project should serve as a model for assessing spatial inequality in social service agencies through collaborative community-based research. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Applied Social Science SAGE

Food Assistance Deserts in Central Florida: Identifying Service Gaps Using Spatial Analysis

Curran, Emily; Armenia, Amy
Journal of Applied Social Science , Volume 15 (1): 12 – Mar 1, 2021
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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020
ISSN
1936-7244
eISSN
1937-0245
DOI
10.1177/1936724420984401
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Food assistance works to relieve food insecurity, a persistent problem in the United States disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. In this study, we take a closer look at geographical service gaps in food assistance using Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis to measure food assistance deserts, a term for areas where the nearest food assistance location is more than a mile away from the population centroid of a block group. By combining geographic data with data from the American Community Survey, we identified characteristics and predictors of food assistance deserts. Our results indicate that locations of food assistance in Central Florida are generally responsive to the needs of the community but are lacking in more affluent areas. This research was made possible through a partnership between our institution and Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. The affordability and accessibility of this project should serve as a model for assessing spatial inequality in social service agencies through collaborative community-based research.

Journal

Journal of Applied Social Science – SAGE

Published: Mar 1, 2021

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