By Deirdre Kleske, Healthy Works Program Specialist, County of San Diego  

Increased healthier food options, resources, and education for community members during the COVID-19 pandemic was the goal of the partnership between San Diego County’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (SDREACH) and the RefugeeNet Food Pantry at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Poor nutrition is one of the main factors contributing to the development of chronic disease. Those with incomes that are less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level are at the highest risk for food insecurity and these populations show stark racial and ethnic disparities compared to food-secure populations.

In San Diego County, nearly half of the African American and Hispanic populations are food insecure, compared to one-quarter of the White population. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis made things even worse, with food insecurity increasing overall in San Diego County from about one in four people in 2019 to nearly one in three people in 2021.

In response, food distribution efforts nearly doubled in San Diego.  

RefugeeNet Steps In With Weekly Food Distribution 

RefugeeNet is a nonprofit organization that holds a weekly food distribution event for families at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in North Park. The pantry clients are primarily refugee families from multiple countries, including several nations in eastern Africa. SDREACH staff connected with the pastor at St. Luke’s to gauge interest in implementing nutrition standards at the food pantry. SDREACH staff members offered assistance with nutrition resources and connections to community partners to encourage RefugeeNet food pantry staff to consider participating in a pantry assessment and adopting nutrition standards. These standards were framed as a “Statement of Nutrition Goals.”

RefugeeNet staff worked with SDREACH in March 2021 to complete an assessment of the quality and availability of food for pantry clients using the Healthy Pantry Assessment tool from Leah’s Pantry Nutrition Pantry Program. Using the assessment and the Leah’s Pantry Action Plan for Pantries tool, actions were prioritized, such as adding in nutrition education materials, partnering with community programs, and adopting a Statement of Nutrition Goals to ensure that foods provided to clients met healthy nutritional standards. Two options for the statement were drafted for RefugeeNet’s Board of Directors to consider for adoption.  

Pantry’s Use More Than Doubles

RefugeeNet’s Board of Directors adopted a Statement of Nutrition Goals in September 2021. The statement outlines practices, guidelines, and goals for the foods the pantry receives, purchases, and distributes. It also states the pantry’s commitment to provide healthier options to their clients to prevent chronic disease. SDREACH staff also provided CalFresh Healthy Living and ¡Más Fresco! More Fresh materials to be distributed to pantry clients. 

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Luke’s RefugeeNet Food Pantry was serving 80 refugee families on a weekly basis. As a result of growing food insecurity during the pandemic, the pantry now serves up to 200 families each week.

As one RefugeeNet staff member stated, “We believe a healthy food supply leads to lower short- and long-term healthcare costs by reducing the likelihood of chronic and life-threatening illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, joint disease, mental illness, and cancer, all while increasing  physical and mental development, especially in our youngest members.”

The adoption of nutrition standards at the RefugeeNet food pantry ensures that healthy food is available to patrons. Sharing nutrition resources and offering assessment, action planning, and examples of nutrition goals to adopt, is an effective strategy for engaging with food pantries to help them promote the health of the families they serve.  

Caption: RefugeeNet staff and volunteers preparing food bags for weekly distribution.