Reaching Food Justice through Community Development &

Organizing

William T. Oswald, Ph.D.

Associate Executive Director

June 2015

Question:

Answer:

Who gets to eat?

Depends

Because we have the technical capacity to provide a healthy diet to every person living within the United States and we don’t makes

The question is a political one

Who gets to eat depends on how we define the “ideal” and the polices created to address

food production, distribution and hunger.

Who gets to create the policies that transform the “ideal” into the real?

Who gets to say what the “Ideal” is?

Politics is the art of translating the ideal into the real

“There is an element of our population that feels that we should just hand it out to anybody and everybody. Well, that may be nice to say, but frankly, there’s not enough money to do everything everybody wants to do.” Diane Jacob

“My parents would never take public assistance. My father wouldn’t even take the GI Bill. I could’ve taken a lot of those benefits. If I could live without why would I take them.” Bill Horn

“The county, while it’s a large part of our mission, we also have other things we are obligated to do. . . So we’re not 100% a social services charity.” Pam Slater

The Board of Supervisors have spoken

Extent of Poverty• 14.2% of population in a snap shot

• More than 50% of population experiences poverty at least once in a three year period

• 66% of European Americans and 90% of African Americans will experience a bout of poverty sometime between the age of 18 and 65

• Over half the school-aged children in the United States are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

These numbers explode the myth that poverty is only experienced by a small portion of our society

How We Define Poverty

Self-Sufficency Median Wage Federal Poverty Line

Minimum Wage TANF + Food Stamps

$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$35,000

$40,000

$45,000

$50,000

$55,000

$60,000

$65,000

$70,000

$75,000

$48,391

$38,770

$19,790 $18,720$13,898

Income Levels Family of 3 [1 adult, 2 children]

An

ual

In

com

e

A minimum wage of $15/hour raises this to

$31,200

Ten women living near or below the poverty line interviewed over 185 households (400 hours) – below 200% FPL about how they deal with hunger and what happens when they go to the County for help in 2009-2010.

They found that people in poverty’s general level of knowledge of nutrition is no different from others’ i.e., people not in poverty. How well a family ate depended on their access to healthy food. When they had access they to healthy food they obtained it. According to USDA research – consumption of diary products, fruits & vegetables increase as prices decrease.

Hunger from the eyes the Hungry: The SPIN Study

http://www.caringcouncilsd.org/

Extent of HungerUSDA report states:• 14.7% of population has food insecurity

• 5.7% of population has very low food security

• Families protect children from hunger

SPIN report found:• 58% of participants admitted to telling people they had food when they didn’t – fear

and embarrassment – suggesting hunger is far more widespread than reported

• Families attempted to protect children from hunger – however, quality and quantity of foods available to children deteriorated after the 2nd week of the month

Hunger & Healthy Eating is an ACCESS ISSUE not KNOWLEDGE ISSUE

What Needs to HappenShift in paradigm Move from a focus on individuals to a focus on conditions

Behavior and environment are interlocked – can’t change behavior without changing environment

Teaching people about nutrition will not change their eating habits if they don’t have access to healthy foods

Shift in deliverablesFund civic engagement efforts

Invest in strengthening/creating knowledgeable, organized and engaged residents at the grassroots level

The Community generally has a different perspective on issues than agencies – services v. resources

Shift in agency policies & practicesEmbed agencies in the community

Focus on creating a dynamic and interactive space with a strong sense of ownership by clients/community residents

Balanced Approach

Today’s problems require a balanced

approach – the more we invest in ROOT

CAUSE (Structural) the less we need to invest

in Remediation.

Not addressing the root cause is like

trying to fix a leaky pipe by mopping the

floor.

RemediationFixing what is broken

Capacity BuildingMaking people & communities

stronger

StructuralAddressing the cause –

changing conditions

Human Services as a Three-Legged Stool

Example

ISSUE: Obesity

Individual Focused

• Nutrition Classes

• Classes on importance of and how to exercise

Condition Focused

• Increase access to healthy foods

• Access to clean, safe parks and recreational programs

Condition focused work requires addressing the environmental issues that contribute to an individual’s problems, not just the individual’s behavior

FOCUS: Individual or Conditions

Individual Conditions0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%86.2%

41.4%

Frequently Used Strategies by Focus

Per

cen

t

Focusing on INDIVIDUALS operates from the assumption that the root of the problem is in the person. The solution is therefore is to be found in behavioral change – if the person changes their behavior the problem will dissipate

Focusing on CONDITIONS operates from the assumption that the root of the problem is found in the conditions under which one lives. Any person would have the problem if they were living under the same conditions. The solution is therefore is to be found in changing the conditions

Data from survey of Executive Directors of Human Service Agencies in San Diego County in 2007

PURPOSE: Remediation, Capacity Building, Systems Change

Remediation Capacity Building Amelioration0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

74.1%79.3%

34.5%

Frequently Used Strategies by Purpose

Per

cen

t

REMEDIATION: Efforts designed to address and eliminate problems that exist within the community or within the individual

CAPACITY BUILDING: Activities that increase resources within individuals and/or a community and strengthen the relationships among people in the community.

SYSTEMS CHANGE: Efforts designed to address and eliminate the causes of the social problems that exist within the community or within the individual

Data from survey of Executive Directors of Human Service Agencies in San Diego County in 2007

Strategies - ApproachesWAYS WE WORK TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY

Purpose 

Focus Remediation-Fix It Capacity Building Systems Change

Individual

Activities designed to work with individuals, families and/or small groups to address specific problems facing the individuals involved. 

Examples include: Psychotherapy or counseling Treatment programs Anger management programs Self Help groups (e.g., AA, etc.) Peer support groups, etc.

Activities, typically in groups, that teach skills and/or pass on information. 

Examples include: After school/tutoring programs Financial Literacy classes Parenting Classes Little League or other sports

leagues Public education campaigns,

etc.

Activities that assist individuals get beyond existing barriers.  

Examples include: First time home buyer programs Microenterprise programs Actions that uncover

discrimination against individuals

Individual Development Accounts, etc.

Conditions

Activities that bring people together to address specific community-wide problems.  

Examples include: Anti-Drug task forces Anti-gang task forces MADD, etc.

Activities that increase resources within a community and/or strengthen the relationships among people in the community.  

Examples include: Neighborhood associations Cultural events & community

fairs Housing development Parent-Teacher organizations Parent councils, etc.

Activities that challenge and/or work toward changing the “rules of the game.”  

Examples include: Changing the rules on the hiring

of people with disabilities (e.g. ADA)

Passing laws making housing discrimination illegal

Getting laws that protect renters from eviction, etc.

Changing Relationships

Families engaged in identifying issues and planning &

implementing campaigns

Families engaged in the fabric of the community, e.g., church, Boy/Girl Scouts, sports, etc.

Clients with shared issues come together to discuss systemic

issues, mutual support and action

Clients volunteer at the agency, providing support and/or services

with staff

Clients engage with workers to address issues that bring

them to the agencyWorker

Agency

Clients

Community Organized

Community

Client with

www.familyresourcecenters.net - Publications – Re-Visioning Case Management

Challenges

• The present staffing pattern and funding do not support this approach

• Cultural and geographical barriers make the work difficult

• Confidentiality Issues

• Involving clients/community members makes the planning and

development process longer

• Lack of staff skills in community organizing

• The cost of making the changes

The Global Action Research Center

A

C

T

I

O

N

Liaison

Civically Engaged Research

Civic Engagement

Bioregionalism

Bi-Directional Learning

Authentic Demand

Vision: A world of healthy, resilient communities where people learn and work together and life flourishes in just and equitable environments.

Mission: Facilitate local communities and institutions in developing, sharing and scaling up sustainabilitity solutions--locally and globally--to eradicate root causes of poverty, environmental degradation and unhealthy living conditions.

OVGG Theory of Change

Popular Education: Principles Life is school; everyone has something learn and everyone has something to teach

We don’t learn from doing, we only learn if we reflect on what we do

Knowledge is collectively generated through the educational process and is shared equally with all participants

Knowledge is power AND responsibility; responsibility to use the knowledge for the common good

Power is finite and power is never given.

Understanding power, how it works and how it is distributed, is critical to understanding any situation and the conditions that created it 

Assumptions• Most communities have two components – a social and a

political. Most people are connected to the social but only a small minority are connected to the political

• Civic Engagement is an act of hope and faith.

• Community residents are rational, intelligent youth and adults who are capable of understanding “trade-offs” and will make rational decisions if provided with the knowledge needed.

 • Arguments in support of the status quo often make sense “if

you don’t think about it.”  • Effective and sustainable change at the policy and systems level

requires established democratic constituent organizations with the power to hold policy makers accountable.

The Model

The models begins with the understanding that every community has an existing set of Social Networks.

At the center of those networks are the “Weavers;” people who make those networks possible. The volunteers at schools, churches, Boys & Girl Scouts. They are Little League and softball coaches, etc.

The success of the project depends on the quality of the Popular Educators recruited and the investment made in them.

Identify the Weavers and recruit Popular Educators from among them.

Popular Education Approach

Invest in Popular Educators with:1. Upfront Training 2. Ongoing Training & Technical Assistance 3. Material support

Build a KNOWLEDGE/ACTION NETWORK for disseminating information, sharing knowledge, and engaging people in conversation for the purpose of increasing their involvement in the political life of their community.

The PlanPhase I: Establish the OVGG• Secure property• Canvass the neighborhood• Form Garden Management Team• Develop a garden design• Hold workshops• Work with Scientists• Share knowledge

Phase II: Neighborhood Food Network• Door knock neighborhood• Build Garden Management Team• Begin growing on the grounds• Begin growing throughout the neighborhood

Phase III: Economic Development• To be developed by Ocean View Growing Grounds Members

OVGG Theory of ChangeConnecting people to larger issues begins with having a secure attachment to place. If people aren’t attached to their surrounding environment they are unlikely to feel a connection to larger things like Food Justice, Climate Change, etc.

This project is about strengthening/building that

secure attachment as a step in the building power

from the bottom up.