Project Title
Food Asset Mapping (North Okanagan, Surrey and the Upper Fraser Valley) - Mobile App Pilot Research
Organization Information
Organization Name
Mission and Vision of Organization
Mission
We strengthen vital connections that support people in need in our local communities.
Vision
A healthy, caring, inclusive community.
Guiding Principles + Values
Core Values
- Collaborative, compassionate, strategic, responsive, accountable, inspiring
Attributes
- We bring people together and inspire local action.
- We connect our rigorous evidence-based approach with community listening and consultation.
- We collaborate to co-create solutions.
- We step in where gaps exist.
- We bring our unique strengths and expertise as a fund and program manager.
- We build transformative long-term donor relationships.
- We inspire and mentor leadership.
Contact Information
- Primary Contact Person(s): Heather Escobar, she/her
- Email: heathere@uwbc.ca
- Phone: 1-236-471-1333
- Address: 4543 Canada Way Burnaby BC V5G 4T4
- Website: https://uwbc.ca/
Preferred Method of Contact
- Best method(s) to contact: Email
- Best day(s) to contact: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
- Best time(s) to contact: Mornings, Afternoons
Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration
- In person, Email, Phone, Zoom, Teams, Slack
Project Description
Note: This project will take place online and in-person
Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?
United Way BC’s Food Security Initiatives focus on strengthening capacity and providing funding for sustainable operations and infrastructure through Regional Community Food Hubs, food recovery and redistribution, and regional cross-sectoral partnerships.
United Way BC is developing and piloting a Food Security mobile app that will feed into a database of aggregated immediate and ongoing food needs in the community. The purpose of the app is to encourage and enable stakeholders to collaborate in real-time and improve community access to available high quality, fresh and culturally appropriate food both locally and regionally. This platform will contribute to the existing food redistribution ecosystem by standardizing the data to show the demand for food (from community organizations) and match it with supply (ex. donations from food business, agriculture etc.). We are still in the app design and development stage in collaboration with the stewards of the Regional Community Food Hubs and their partners to understand the demand and how to efficiently capture the data. Standardized regional data will be used to address challenges in food redistribution and to advocate for further support for food security initiatives across the province. Local or organization-level data will be available for community food-based organizations to support their reporting and strategic planning.
The LFS 350 student project will categorize and map the existing food system assets (e.g., infrastructure, programming, technology, food supply etc.) that are relevant to our partners in the three-pilot communities: North Okanagan, Surrey and the Upper Fraser Valley. Knowledge of existing assets will inform UW's greater strategy for the app pilot phase (Feb-Apr 2023).
Main Project Activities and Deliverables
United Way is looking for a greater understanding of what is currently working, what isn't, and to bring together some big ideas around improving food security and resilience in urban, suburban, rural, remote and Indigenous communities across the province. In helping us achieve this goal, LFS 350 students will:
- Conduct desktop research of existing food asset mapping and datasets in the three pilot communities
- Conduct an environmental scan of regional food assets such as grocery stores and food banks
- Interview and/or survey UW Regional Community Food Hub partners in each region
- Create a map of the baseline assets and relationships in each region before the app pilot phase (Feb-Apr 2023).
Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)
- Well organized, independent and attentive to detail
- Data analysis and mapping skills preferred (GIS an asset)
- Community engagement and interviewing skills
- Interest in technology and its potential for addressing food insecurity
Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?
- No. Possible attendance at community event Oct 5 (TBC) to enhance and inform their project findings. Event capacity is TBC but we hope there is space for students to attend. The event will offer the opportunity to hear a variety of perspectives directly from our contacts at UW-funded, food-based organizations across BC..
Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?
- No
How much self-direction is expected from the students?
- Deciding on the project deliverable(s): Equal leadership between students and community partner
- Developing the activity plan and timeline: Equal leadership between students and community partner
- Scheduling and initiating the communication plan (e.g. weekly Zoom check-in, biweekly email update, etc.): Mostly led by students, with some community partner input
- Implementing the activity plan (e.g. surveying stakeholder groups): Mostly led by students, with some community partner input
- Finalizing the deliverable(s): Equal leadership between students and community partner
Related Community Service Opportunities for Students
- Possible attendance at community event Oct 5 (TBC)
- Opportunity to volunteer at one of the Regional Community Food Hubs.
Required Reading
Project/Partner Orientation Materials
Students should review the following materials prior to the first partner meeting. Additional orientation materials may be provided at the first partner meeting.
- https://uwbc.ca/program/food-security/
- https://landtotablenetwork.com/food-hub/
- https://www.sourcesbc.ca/our-services/food-hub/
- Chilliwack Community Food Hub (video)
- Canada's Invisible Food Network. Second Harvest.
- Wasted Opportunity: Rescuing Surplus Food in a Throwaway Culture. Second Harvest.
Additional Materials
- City of Kamloops food asset map (useful example!)
- Food Security Action Plan: Statewide Planning (2022). Alaska Food Policy Council.
Expected Outcomes
Intended Short-term Project Outcome
United Way BC staff and partners have a baseline dataset and map of the three pilot region hub assets, allowing for effective measurement impact and tracking of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) during the app pilot phase.
Learning Outcomes
Through this project, I think students will learn about...
- How technology can improve food access and redistribution within each region.
- What systems community organizations are currently using to coordinate food distribution and redistribution.
By working on this project, I think students will develop skills and/or awareness of...
- The overall food system and how the food surplus is managed by food recovery organizations.
- How technology can be used to standardize and automate data collection to understand food needs in our province.
By the end of the project, I believe students will come to appreciate...
- The complex and intricate webs of community food-based organizations that provide food and wrap-around services to so many people in our communities.