Agenda - 11-10-2022 Work Session; 2 - Discussion Regarding the Community Food Access Assessment Report and Food Council Memorandum of Understanding Agreement Renewal

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20 INTRODUCTION Food security for all is a goal Orange County continuously It is time to take a more intersectional and communi- strives for; however, 1 in 10 county residents experience ty-focused approach to making data informed deci- food insecurity as of 20201. Food insecurity is caused by sions. Traditional quantitative data and survey results many factors. Social inequities like household and neigh- have been shared in reports by various County de- borhood poverty, a lack of investment in the built envi- partments on a regular basis, yet food insecurity rates ronment and transportation, limited or zero access to gro- have only decreased 2.5% from 2017 to 2020 (much cery stores, and government neglect of low-income and of which may be attributed to COVID-19 investment marginalized communities heavily impact one's ability to that is soon to end or the out-migration of community access the food they need2. While the County outperforms members unable to afford the rising cost of living in the state as a whole (2020 prevalence of food insecurity Orange County'). Meanwhile, low-income and margin- was 10.2% in Orange County and 12% in North Carolina), alized communities continue to have data extracted and food insecurity is still a critical public health issue as it can see little change in their day to day lives. A food justice result in negative health and social outcomes. and community-focused approach to addressing food insecurity involves shifting power to those most impact- Orange County has prioritized food justice through initia- ed. This approach involves asking deeper questions tives aiming to increase access to fresh affordable food like, "why are people hungry" instead of only "how in neighborhoods experiencing food insecurity. Oftentimes many people are hungry?" Therefore, this assessment these neighborhoods are described as "food deserts," process was designed to engage community members, evoking an arid, empty environment with limited resources. those with lived experience of hunger, as the experts Using this language also indicates a natural state rather that they are. From this point forward you will not see than a built environment. The term "food desert" does not any more quantitative data. The data that is shared is adequately describe the communities experiencing hunger the experience and recommendations of Community or the decades of discriminatory policies and disinvest- Experts and should be considered in future "data-in- ment that has resulted in poor neighborhoods. For these formed decisions." reasons, farmer and food activist Karen Washington coined the phrase food apartheid'. While Orange County has the We hope this report brings decision-makers closer to highest per capita income in the state, those experiencing community wisdom and the subject-matter expertise food insecurity are not seeing the abundance 4. Therefore, that is needed to address the root causes of hun- food apartheid is a more appropriate term to acknowledge ger. Community Experts shared their time, stories, and that inequity has been perpetuated in Orange County by a knowledge with us over ten months through various food system that favors wealthier, white residents. We must project spaces and conversations. A primary "theme" reckon with the disparities perpetuated by our systems and we heard repeated throughout this process was a need acknowledge that there are two parallel Orange Counties - for decision-makers to truly understand the experience one with wealth and favored by systems, and one without. of food, housing, and economic insecurity. This written report is just one way of providing direct feedback from As of 2020, 14,970 county residents experience food in- Community Experts. We encourage decision-makers to security. Of those residents, 40% have incomes at or below consider additional ways to more deeply understand 200% of the poverty threshold. Black and Latinx residents the issues and to connect with the people and orga- experience poverty over twice as often as white residents, nizations that are rooted in community'. We urge those and residents in historical communities of color are being with the power to make important decisions about oth- pushed out or forced to prioritize the high cost of housing, er's lives to listen to the Community Expert Recom- property taxes, and sewer and water bills over nutritious mendations in this report and to do so with a sense of foods. Communities like Perry Hill, Northside, Pine Knolls, humility, empathy, and respect. Tin Top, and Roger Eubanks have experienced genera- tions of disinvestment practices and are now experiencing the high costs and pressures of gentrification. Refugee and immigrant communities experience many of these same inequities. Food insecurity has many causes and can be considered a symptom of other systemic failures. An ad- ditional investment of over $9 million is needed annually to ensure all residents experiencing food insecurity can purchase just enough food to meet their needs'. 1 https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2020/overall/north-carolina/county/orange 7 http://www.uncinclusionproject.org/documents/orangecountyreportfinal.pdf 2 htlps://wwwfeedingamericaorg/hunger-in-america/food-insecurity 8 ht[ps://metropolilics.org/Community-Roo[ed-Organizations-Enhanced-Accountabili- 3 https://www.karenthefarmer.co�n/faq-index ty-and-Capacity-Building.html 4 hltps://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/orangecountynorlhcarolina,NC/ POP010210 5 hltp://www.uncinclusionproject.org/documents/orangecounlyrepartfinal.pdf 5 6 haps://map,feedingamerica.org/county/2020/overall/north-carolina/county/orange