Food Resource Management Education With SNAP Participation Improves Food Security.

Objective: To determine the influence of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and participant demographics on nutrition education outcomes.

Methods: At program enrollment (pre) and 1 month later (post), a statewide convenience sample of adults, who participated in the Plan, Shop, Save, and Cook program, completed a 7-item questionnaire to evaluate change in resource management skills (RMS) and running out of food before the end of the month.

Results: Percent of participants (n = 3,744) who reported behavioral improvements in RMS ranged from 38.

Vegetable output and cost savings of community gardens in San Jose, California.

Urban dwellers across the United States increasingly access a variety of fresh vegetables through participation in neighborhood-level community gardens. Here we document vegetable output and cost savings of community gardens in the city of San Jose, CA, to better understand the capacity of community gardens to affect food affordability in an urban setting. A convenience sample of 83 community gardeners in San Jose completed a background survey during spring and summer 2012.

Disparities in access to fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

Background: Access to fresh produce and other healthy foods differs between poor ethnic and wealthier non-ethnic neighborhoods. Given the need to improve access, emergency food organizations, such as food pantries, can provide assistance. Food pantry clients, many living in poor ethnic neighborhoods, are at highest risk for inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables as emergency food assistance often does not include a supply of fresh produce.

Barriers to participation in the food stamp program among food pantry clients in Los Angeles.

Substantial numbers of food pantry clients are eligible for food stamps but do not receive them. Background characteristics of 14317 food pantry users in Los Angeles were analyzed to provide information helpful in food stamp outreach programs. Ninety percent of food pantry users were living well below poverty level, 59% were Hispanic, and 44% were homeless.