Understanding the Importance of Equity in Food Distribution

The NTFB and its Feeding Network aim for food equity, or for all people to have equal access to nutritious, affordable and culturally significant foods, regardless of circumstance.

The North Texas Food Bank and its Feeding Network of nearly 500 partner pantries and community organizations are working to ensure that neighbors throughout our 12-county service area have equitable access to the food they need to thrive.

But what is equity? Equity means providing individuals, especially those facing additional barriers, with the support they need to access the same food as their neighbors. Equality, in contrast, is simply making the same food available to everyone without any other considerations. Put simply, equity is about fairness while equality is about sameness.

At a food pantry, for example, equality looks like providing neighbors with the opportunity to pick up food from a pantry nearby each Tuesday at 10 a.m. The pantry intake forms are only in English and there are no options for those not able to walk inside. The food, however, is available to anyone in need.

Equity, however, requires considering some additional factors. While the pantry is still open each Tuesday at 10 a.m., providing access to food with equity means offering intake forms in English and whatever second language is prominent in the neighborhood. It might mean providing the option of curbside pickup for those who are unable to walk, and it could mean creating a locker system so those who work during the morning have the chance to pick up food securely after their workday.

If you’re new to the idea of providing services with equity, start by considering the five As:

• Availability: Are neighbors able to consistently access a variety of nutritious foods to fit their needs? If they could benefit from other services, are those available? If not, can you refer them to another organization, whether it be for job training, rental assistance or other support?
• Accessibility: How convenient is it to access your food? Start by making it easy for neighbors to hear about your pantry, whether by posting about your pantry hours on social media or leaving flyers at area businesses. After that, consider whether your pantry hours are suitable for multiple groups, including single working parents, older adults and families. If you only have weekday morning hours, could you add one weekend or evening option? If not, is there another pantry that does where you can refer families?
• Accommodation: Not everyone experiences food insecurity at the same rate. According to Feeding America, people of color are two times as likely to be food insecure, 22% of LGBTQ+ adults are food insecure and 24% of households with a working adult who is disabled are food insecure (compared with 11.8% overall). To ensure these groups experiencing higher levels of food insecurity have access to groceries, we must consider what accommodation is needed. Can individuals in wheelchairs access food at your pantry? Are volunteers and staff welcoming to LGBTQ+ neighbors? Are signs and intake forms available in Spanish or languages other than English? Do you have foods that are culturally relevant for the neighbors visiting your pantry?
• Affordability: Consider the cost of visiting a pantry. While the food might be free, if a neighbor has to wait more than an hour to receive groceries, they may have lost wages or had to spend money on childcare due to the wait time. Transportation costs associated with visiting a pantry and simply the experience of receiving food also factor into the affordability of a pantry.
• Acceptability: Does the food or service you’re providing meet the quality standards of your neighbors? Consider whether the food is fresh, rather than damaged or rotten, for example.

Nothing is 100% equitable. However, NTFB and its partners are working toward equitable access with the individual circumstances of our neighbors in mind.

To learn more, consider taking one of these courses through Agency University: Equity 101, Food Insecurity Disparities and Equity: Accessibility and Affordability.