CGR Completes Study of Food Insecurity in Northwest Arkansas

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - March 7, 2019 - PRLog -- CGR is pleased to announce the completion of its study of food insecurity and the charitable food system in Washington and Benton Counties, Arkansas.  Funded by the Walmart Foundation, the study examines food insecurity and the charitable food delivery network in Northwest Arkansas to better understand the state of food insecurity, how residents access the delivery of food services, where there are gaps in service, and how the system can be improved.

CGR analyzed national and local demographic and socioeconomic data on food insecurity and related indicators; inventoried and surveyed local charitable food providers; partnered with the Center for Collaborative care, an Arkansas-based organization, to conduct 24 focus groups with charitable food providers and people experiencing food insecurity; and created an online interactive map displaying the location and characteristics of food resources in the context of geographic socioeconomic data.

Challenges within the charitable food network identified by the study include providing a variety of healthy, fresh food on a regular basis, individuals accessing charitable food resources during non-work hours, and the availability of transportation to charitable food resources.  The project also identifies community-generated ideas for addressing food insecurity and strengthening the charitable food network in NW Arkansas.

The report can be found here (http://reports.cgr.org/download/report/5c800e72c33f6) and the interactive map can be found here. (http://datascience.cgr.org/arkansas-food-insecurity/)

"Relieving hunger and connecting people to healthier food is one of our top priorities.  CGR's report and interactive map is serving as an important tool and catalyst to jumpstart and inform regional planning, cross-sector collaboration and investments among local stakeholders including community leaders, funders and providers concerned about addressing the long term food security needs in our community," said Erin Hogue of the Walmart Foundation.

"CGR is pleased to have had the opportunity to leverage its expertise in community indicators, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and online mapping in the realm of food insecurity," says Project Director Alice Carle of CGR.  "The tools created for Northwest Arkansas have the potential to inform those addressing food insecurity and strengthen responses in other communities as well."

About CGR
Founded in 1915, CGR is an independent, nonprofit management consulting organization delivering expertise in government and education, economics and public finance, health and human services, and nonprofits and communities. Our mission is to improve the quality of communities through impactful research, analysis, consultation and data management for the public, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations that serve them. To learn more, visit www.cgr.org.