Ensuring food security for 100% of county residents. The 100% Community food action team identifies challenges, researches solutions and supports organizations in improving services. The long-term goal is creating a countywide system of food security programs with collaboration and coordination with all city government, county government and non-governmental organizations within the county’s borders.

The 100% Community food action team collects and analyzes data then identifies gaps in food security services. The 100% Community survey data, including informational interviews with residents of all communities within the county’s borders, reveal which populations and communities lack easy access to food security services. The survey also reveals why services may be difficult to access. Difficulties may include a lack of awareness of programs, lack of transport to programs, lack of easy-to-access hours or no easy-to-access services with supplies.

The 100% Community food action team focuses on identifying which organizations currently need capacity-building in order to meet the need. The team identifies partnerships to improve services. This can be done through a process of continuous quality improvement (the data-driven “assess-plan-act-evaluate” process).

The 100% Community food action team focuses on identifying which private sector businesses can help address food insecurity throughout the county. The team works to create partnerships between businesses and food security programs.

The 100% Community food action team focuses on identifying how to use technology, including websites and apps, to increase awareness of food insecurity, increase resources to provide food, and increase alignment of services across all cities and communities within the county’s borders. The team also works to address the digital divide to increase access for all county residents to mobile devices and the Internet through community access points.

The 100% Community food action team focuses on reaching all county residents in order to mobilize community teams to address food insecurity. The team works to engage all county residents who have free time (retirees, college students, etc.) to support food security efforts. The team also works to create opportunities for all county residents to share their ideas for problem solving.

The 100% Community food action team focuses on strengthening the capacity of all schools to increase their food security efforts with free breakfasts and lunches for students, as well as finding additional funding and staff to support supplying meals in the evening, on weekends, during school vacations and summer breaks.

The 100% Community food action team focuses on identifying which individuals and programs working with local higher education can support food security efforts. This includes identifying support for surveying, data analysis, researching solutions, and creating campus food pantries and food banks, along with engaging students and staff in food security efforts.

The 100% Community food action team focuses on identifying the capacity of city and county government to strengthen their current food security efforts and expand them to meet the need. This includes a special focus on meeting the needs of the county’s most vulnerable residents. Teams will recommend to local government the most up-to-date methods and software to accurately track program effectiveness.

The 100% Community food action team focuses on identifying which programs the federal and state government offer to support countywide food security. This process includes networking, advocating and grant writing.

The 100% Community food action team focuses on the long-term goal of creating a county-city “Department of Food” to focus on food security challenges. This includes surveying residents on their access to food security programs, their need for the programs and why they might be difficult to access. This proposed department could also support ongoing research in food security programs and support local efforts to ensure food security across the county.