Abstract
The purpose of this project is to compare proximity of locations and availability of supply at Loaves and Fishes food banks in relation to the individual locations' amount of use. Previous studies on food banks have been centered around accessibility, dietary needs or availability. We wanted to focus on exploring the two factors of proximity and available supply of different food bank depots and how that impacts perceived accessibility of the people attempting to access their services. Our methodological approach will be measuring proximity and supply via a survey and analysing the results by comparing the supply needs and proximity to the choice of location from the compilation of survey results. Results will be compiled and presented to Loaves and Fishes to show why some of their locations are accessed more frequently. The expected results of this study should show that depots that are perceived to be more accessible as physical proximity and available supply benefit the persons accessing the services. Furthermore, full picture of the importance of proximity and supply for food banks.
Nicole Congdon, Arenike Alli, Funto Akanbi, and Jaden Welsh (Vancouver Island University students)