Reducing Food Insecurity in Kent County: Assessing the Progress

In Kent County, community leaders have continued to search for answers to better serve the less fortunate, especially in regards to those suffering from food insecurity. To develop appropriate policy responses to challenging social and economic issues affecting West Michigan, community leaders have sought to better understand the impacts of pervasive food insecurity through ongoing research and evaluation. This study is largely a continuation of those earlier efforts. In response to these initiatives, the primary goal of this research is to evaluate the implementation of the 2008 study recommendations. A secondary, but equally important goal is to continue monitoring the overall emergency food system in Kent County in the face of the continued economic weakness that has placed enormous strains on the network.