Beyond Food Banks: Reframing Food Insecurity through Community Voices

The rise in food insecurity in the UK is often framed as a Public Health emergency, with large, high profile food banks situated at the centre of national responses. While these organisations meet urgent need, their dominant narratives frequently marginalise grassroots, community food projects. This study used qualitative focus groups and interviews with stakeholders involved in UK food support. Analysis, via hermeneutic phenomenology, revealed that mainstream, food bank-centered strategies misaligned with locally driven, dignity-focused models focused on destigmatisation and building social capital. This draws on findings from a wider study to develop tangible guidance for community leaders setting up and running food projects. The results advocate that to effectively tackle food insecurity, our understanding of “need” and who defines it should be reframed. We argue that effective solutions to food insecurity require a fundamental reframing of "need" and greater inclusion of voices from diverse community contexts.

In this roundtable, It invites public health professionals, policymakers, and researchers to open their sociological imagination to define the next steps of the guide beyond this study. I invite attendees to critically examine dominant narratives, and share their experiences of community engagement. The session will highlight the risks of isolating community projects. It will explore pathways towards more sustainable policy, and collectively reflect on the intersection of social determinants, dignity, and food justice.

Key Points for Discussion:
• Challenging food bank-centric narratives.
• Implementing evidence informed sustainable responses to food poverty
• Shifting the debate from short-term statistics to policies emphasising equity and collective ownership.