Responding to Food Insecurity in a Low-Income Community: The Challenges of Generating Trust and Choosing Research Methods

Abstract

Meadville, Pennsylvania, contends with many of the same challenges that confront small, rural towns across the United States. Many citizens live below the federal poverty line. Many also live in “food deserts,” without reliable access to grocery stores. In response to these problems, the Community Wellness Initiative at Allegheny College began an applied research program that focused on helping low-income people get better access to food. The program resulted in the creation of a mobile food market that travels to low-income neighborhoods. This case study demonstrates how principles of community-based research can guide choices about when and how to use different methods of inquiry, such a surveys, interviews, and focus groups. By extension, the case study demonstrates one approach that colleges and universities can use to address entrenched problems and create new services in their community.

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