Addressing Client Barriers in Fall River

Better understanding the barriers to food access enables us to serve clients and communities more effectively—a conclusion underscored by recent research by GBFB’s statewide food insecurity survey. But, effectively acting locally requires a closer, more intimate look.

We recently turned our attention to the Southcoast region as our data has shown that this region experiences significantly high rates of food insecurity for our service area and Fall River in particular faces one of the highest. There was an opportunity to approach that disparity differently—so we are.

We partnered with the YMCA Southcoast and the Southcoast Food Policy Council to focus on the City of Fall River. Fall River not only has a strong network of providers, including United Way and more than 30 highly client-focused organizations, but also vibrant cultural diversity. One in five residents were born outside the U.S.

So, we conducted a community survey in five languages, asking about food pantry access including transportation, operating hours, food preferences, discrimination and registration requirements. More than 160 responses were analyzed by Rachel Weil on GBFB’s Community Investment Team and shared with the Fall River working group, who will determine the next steps.

“If this model for engaging with community works, we can take this on the road and help address barriers across our network.”

Directly connecting to clients to better inform our services, creating a replicable model for engaging clients and addressing barriers for other regions across our network are our goals. As Rachel explains, “If this model for engaging with community works, we can take this on the road and help address barriers across our network.”