Background: Food FARMacy is a clinical-community emergency food assistance program developed in response to food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few qualitative studies have examined participant, and clinical and community stakeholder experiences with these food assistance programs.
Objective: To examine the motivations, experiences, and perceptions of Food FARMacy participants and program stakeholders.
Design: A qualitative study using in-depth interviews between March 2021 and July 2021.
Participants and setting: Twenty-four Food FARMacy participants and 10 program stakeholders in New York, NY (Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens) older than age 18 years were interviewed.
Statistical analyses performed: Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participant and program stakeholder interviews were analyzed separately. Themes that were salient in both groups were combined for reporting.
Results: Both program participants and stakeholders perceived: pandemic-related demands combined with reduced resources motivated participation; convenience, safety, and ease of access facilitated program retention; participants valued fresh produce and diversity of foods; the program improved diet and health; minimizing food waste was a priority; and social cohesion was an unexpected program benefit. Two additional themes among only program stakeholders also were identified: aligned values, flexibility, and communication were key to successful partnerships; and trust between community partners and community members drove programmatic success.
Conclusions: Results suggest that a multisite clinical-community partnership to provide emergency food assistance in New York City can be leveraged to reduce barriers to healthy food access and address food insecurity during crises.
Keywords: COVID-19; Cross-sector collaboration; Food insecurity; Food pantry; Qualitative research.
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