Why Volunteering Matters to Food Systems
Civic engagement and volunteering don’t just support the food environment, they help determine how functional, equitable, and resilient it is. Markets provide food, but civic action determines who actually gets fed, how they access food, and for how long. Key forms of civic involvement include participation in religious organizations, involvement in fundraising activities, active membership in community groups, volunteering, and working with others to address community issues. Civic engagement is what sustains food pantries, meal sites, farmers markets, SNAP outreach, school and senior nutrition programs, and community garden programs. Communities with higher rates of civic engagement have a strong foundation of people dedicated to helping others and the capacity to address issues like food insecurity. Communities with lower rates of civic engagement are stretched thinner and aren’t always prepared to tackle systemic issues related to food.