Food Security Task Force

Arlington's Strategic Plan for Food Security

(PDF, 6MB) Arlington County has just created its first-ever strategic plan for improving food security(PDF, 6MB) in the community. It reflects a concerted effort to ensure that investments and efforts are coordinated to meet the community’s food needs. The plan was developed through a two-year effort that identified resources, needs, and gaps, and it includes 28 strategies grouped into five categories. Key to the development of the strategic plan was broad-based collaboration among stakeholder groups, working together to create a roadmap for food security in Arlington.

Read the Executive Summary or the full report(PDF, 6MB). 

El resumen está disponible en español(PDF, 457KB).

What is the Food Security Task Force?

A 2019 report from Feeding America estimated that 7.8% of Arlingtonians don’t have enough food to sufficiently feed their families each month. Over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, that number increased drastically. There are many organizations and individuals doing great work to help close that gap, but the need persists. The Food Security Task Force is a group of community stakeholders working together to improve the food security system and infrastructure in Arlington. The group will work together for 12-18 months to develop a food security strategic plan that will address many of the challenges that families face in accessing the food assistance they need.

Vision: A community where all have enough healthy food to feed themselves and their families.

Mission: To create an interconnected food security system in Arlington that works together to meet its residents’ need to feed themselves and their families, healthy and culturally appropriate food, in an affordable and dignified manner. 

Composition

The task force is made up of 28 members who represent various stakeholders in Arlington’s food security infrastructure, including non-profit, faith-based, and school-based food providers; population representatives; business partners; and community members.  The task force will be led by Stephanie Hopkins, Food Security Coordinator at the Department of Human Services. Matt de Ferranti is the County Board Liaison. 

Key Stages of Work

• Analysis of current situation & available data
• Identification of preliminary strategies & actions
• Needs assessment & analysis
• Final decisions on strategies & actions
• Creation of sub-committees to push the work forward
• Develop final report & present to county board for adoption
  
  

Food Security and Access Study with The Urban Institute

In 2021, the Urban Institute partnered with the Arlington County Food Security Task Force to evaluate food insecurity and access to nutritious, healthy, and culturally appropriate food within and across Arlington County. The study looked at food insecurity rates across the county, use and perceptions of charitable food assistance, and the experience of residents accessing food. As part of the study, a survey of residents in the targeted neighborhoods and follow up interviews were conducted in November 2021. 

Key findings include:

• Food insecurity is concentrated in south and east Arlington County, especially the Glencarlyn, Buckingham/Ashton Heights, Pentagon City, Crystal City South, Forest Glen/Arlington Mill, and Crystal City North neighborhoods.
• Survey data show Black and Hispanic/Latinx respondents reported significantly higher rates of food insecurity than white respondents and that Asian households with low incomes had to travel further to access charitable food sites.
• Households experiencing food insecurity had substantial difficulty paying expenses, and food budgets were often the first to be cut in times of financial hardship, especially as increasing inflation put upward pressure on households’ food costs.
• Most charitable food sites in Arlington County were open year-round, but fewer than 1 in 5 offered weekly service and evening or weekend hours. In particular, the Crystal City and Pentagon City areas had relatively high estimated food insecurity rates compared with the rest of the county and low access to existing charitable food resources.
• About half of residents who were experiencing food insecurity at the time of the survey reported using free groceries or meals. Residents reported that the cost of transportation, pride, and stigma may be a barrier to accessing free groceries and meals.

To view the full report visit Improving Food Security and Access in Arlington County, Virginia: Mixed-Methods Analyses and Recommendations | Urban Institute.  An executive summary, which summarizes the findings is also available. The Food Security Task Force is reviewing findings and recommendations from the study, and will consider investments where Arlington County could build on its strengths and address residents’ concerns and barriers.

Meeting Materials

• Initial Data Presentation - April 26, 2021(PDF, 2MB)
• Environmental Scan - May 10, 2021(PDF, 915KB)
• SWOT Analysis - May 24, 2021(PDF, 554KB)
• Mid-Year Data Presentation - July 29, 2021(PDF, 2MB)
• Nutrition Programs for Older Adults - November 8, 2021(PDF, 1MB)
• SNAP Benefits - December 6, 2021(PDF, 1MB)
• Food Support for Residents facing Homelessness - January 31, 2022(PDF, 658KB)
• School Meals funding flow chart(PDF, 1021KB)

Data Dashboard