March 6, 2024

Food Access Project

Institute for Research on Race & Public Policy

Dr. Karlia Brown, Research Specialist

Ni'Shele Jackson, Research Assistant

UIC

Agenda

  1. Project Background
  2. Research Design
  3. Timeline
  4. Breakout Discussions
  5. Next Steps

Project Background

PURPOSE:

To create a report for the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, the Commission to End Hunger, and associated homeless service providers focused on the experiences of, barriers to, and disparities in food access among the sheltered, unsheltered, and doubled-up unhoused population.

Project Background

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

  1. What are the food access experiences of unhoused individuals in IL?
  2. What barriers or limitations do unhoused individuals face when accessing food in IL?
  3. How does food access differ between unsheltered, sheltered, and doubled-up unhoused individuals?
  4. What are innovative practices that IL shelters, service providers, and other entities have adopted to provide meals to the unhoused population?
  5. What are some ways in which IL food providers can ensure that unhoused individuals experience dignity and belonging while accessing food?

Research Design

SURVEY

WHO: 250 currently or previously unhoused individuals in IL

WHAT: A 10-15 minute in-person survey, with a $5 payment

WHEN: May - August, 2024

WHERE: In service organizations, shelters, mobile centers, pantries, and other organizations across Illinois

FOCUS GROUPS

WHO: 5-10 currently or previously unhoused individuals in IL for 5 different focus groups (for a total of 25-50 participants)

WHAT: A 90 minute - 2 hour in-person focus group, with a $50 payment

WHEN: May - August, 2024

WHERE: In service organizations across Illinois, with 1 focus group taking place in each of the 5 regions of the state (as designated by DHS)

Research Design

INTERVIEWS

WHO: Service providers who serve unhoused population and specifically are involved in food provision

WHAT: 30-45 minute Zoom interviews about their experiences providing food to unhoused populations including barriers / limitations they face, and innovative practices they've engaged in

WHEN: March - April, 2024

WHERE: Virtually, but we will reach out to service providers from across the state

Timeline

MARCH - APRIL

Interview service providers

Schedule survey and focus groups

MAY - JULY

Begin conducting focus groups and survey

Home Illinois Summit

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER

Finish conducting focus groups and survey

Begin data analysis

OCTOBER - DECEMBER

Finish data analysis

Write and release final report

Time for breakout groups!

Breakout Discussion

In a moment, we'll breakout into two groups for discussion. We'd love your feedback on the following:

  1. What questions should we ask?
    • What do you want to know about the experiences of unhoused folks accessing food?
  2. Where should we go?
    • When thinking about accessing unsheltered and doubled up populations specifically, where is the best place to reach them?
    • Would your organization be open to hosting us?
  3. Who should we speak to?
    • Are there any subgroups of the unhoused population that we should make sure are represented in this study?

Next Steps

  1. Finalize survey, focus group, and interview instruments
  2. Schedule interviews with service providers to discuss limitations and innovative practices related to food provision
  3. Reach out to shelters, pantries, service providers, and other organizations to begin coordinating focus groups and scheduling times to conduct survey

Thank You!

  • Karlia Brown
  • Research Specialist
  • knbrown3@uic.edu
  • Ni'Shele Jackson
  • Research Assistant
  • njacks31@uic.edu

UIC