Mutual aid food sharing during the COVID-19 pandemic: case study of Tompkins County, NY.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic led to greater food insecurity across the world, and government and charitable organisations did not always respond quickly enough or adequately to meet food needs. Mutual aid (MA) - neighbours helping neighbours to meet survival needs - mobilised residents to share food, often through outdoor food cabinets and refrigerators. This study aims to understand how MA food sharing was implemented, including food availability, acceptability, accessibility and impact on food access.