How can supporting agency improve food relief program participation? The case of Boulder Food Rescue

Achieving food security is a growing challenge globally. Food relief organizations (e.g., food banks, food pantries, and food rescue programs) support food security efforts, yet often struggle to support program participation. A barrier to participation in food relief programs is the experience of shame associated with receiving food assistance. Improving ‘agency,’ defined as believing in one’s ability to affect desired change in one’s circumstances may reduce associated experiences of shame. One way to increase agency is supporting decision-making opportunities that guide program policy and action, yet little is known about the relationships between agency and food relief program participation. To better understand the relationships between agency and food rescue program participation, we asked: How can a food rescue organization support participation in decision-making, and how can participation in decision-making support agency around food security? To answer this question, we conducted a two-year community-based research project to learn how Boulder Food Rescue (BFR), a food relief organization in Boulder, Colorado, United States, endeavored to support participants’ agency around food security. We drew on observations, interviews, and document analysis to gain insight into participant experiences across BFR’s No Cost Grocery Program (NCGP) supply chain. Through qualitative analysis, we found that BFR’s organizational culture and the structure of the NCGP, in tandem, supported participants’ agency around food security in two key ways. Firstly, they supported experiences of dignity by, for example, creating opportunities for participants to access food at or near their homes as well as taking on community leadership roles. Secondly, they offered participants opportunities to guide organizational decision-making by, for example, closely contributing to BFR’s strategic planning efforts. In some cases, these experiences directly supported food relief program participation. We also discerned barriers to supporting agency, for example, challenges in translating participant views and experiences into actionable strategic planning decisions. Through this study, we offer insights for planners and policy-makers who wish to improve food relief program participation, agency among participants, and food security.