Abstract
This paper is an exploration of the impact of the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency food supply to school-aged children in Ontario, Canada. Using surveys in the framework of a bounded qualitative case study, we investigate how Student Nutrition Program (SNP) support staff have responded to the changed circumstances of the pandemic. Results indicate that program support staff were able to shift the SNP’s focus from universal access in-school nutrition programs to targeted food security initiatives for families. This shift was possible due to the complex web of relationships within which SNPs in Ontario operate. Additional data and findings are discussed in the article, relating to the prepandemic operation of SNPs, how programs have been affected, and the concerns of SNP support staff about future issues as the programs restart in the new school year under pandemic conditions.
Highlights
Impact of COVID-19 As the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on contemporary food systems, it reveals inherent flaws and weaknesses of these systems (Altieri & Nicholls, 2020; Clapp, 2020; Clapp & Moseley, 2020)
Our findings indicate that Student Nutrition Program (SNP) staff operate in an underresourced environment, with staff focused on addressing the gap between funding received and program expenses, as well as the daily operations of program delivery, as discussed below
A participant summarized the continual struggle with resources as follows: “Lack of ownership of SNP in one [institutional] home that takes full responsibility
Summary
Impact of COVID-19 As the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on contemporary food systems, it reveals inherent flaws and weaknesses of these systems (Altieri & Nicholls, 2020; Clapp, 2020; Clapp & Moseley, 2020). The pandemic highlights the essential role of migrant farm labor (Hennebry, Caxaj, McLaughlin, & Mayell, 2020) and food processing facilities (Hailu, 2020) in contemporary food systems. Beyond such immediate shocks to the food system, it is estimated that the number of people living in acute hunger globally will double to 265 million people as a result of the pandemic, according to the United Nations’ World Food Program (Anthem, 2020). According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the growing food insecurity and hunger impact of COVID-19 is prevalent in less wealthy countries and amongst vulnerable populations (FAO, 2020)
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