Episode 8 | The Future of Charitable Food Aid

What role does charitable food aid play in alleviating food insecurity? In this episode, Sabine Goodwin, Coordinator of the U.K.-based Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN), discusses the structural challenges to food access during the Covid-19 pandemic and her work towards a future where there is no need for charitable food aid. IFAN’s membership includes over 550 independent, grassroots food aid providers from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Describing IFAN’s research, advocacy, and network-building efforts, Sabine shares the successes of the Cash First project, which collaborates with members and local authorities to address widespread food insecurity by providing people with straightforward access to financial resources. The conversation illuminates the impact of poverty as a main driver of food insecurity and describes how community-based charitable supports can promote dignified access to food during a growing cost of living crisis. This interview with the Feeding City Lab was recorded on March 21, 2023.