How often do you not eat so that someone else in your household can?
That’s one of the questions the Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN) hopes to answer with its new survey.
Until mid-January, the SRCHN wants to hear residents’ opinions from Beecher Bay to Port Renfrew on what their current food needs are and whether they have changed during the pandemic. In collaboration with the district and funded by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the goal is better to understand the food security issues in the region.
The information collected will help the district with its operational community plan.
Two surveys have been launched. One for residents to provide info on their current food needs, and the second for foodservice providers, such as the Sooke Food Bank, to voice any needs in the past year.
READ MORE: Sooke Food Bank voices dire need for bigger space
The survey asks 20 multiple choice questions, including “Where does your food come from?” and “What are the barriers you face to get nutritious food?” Paper versions of the surveys are available at relevant food distribution sites as well.
The next stage of the consultation will occur in January to host small focus groups and interviews with residents online or through phone calls. Organizers say they will hold longer conversations to understand poverty reduction and food security. During all interviews, all answers will remain anonymous.
A final report will be available in early spring 2021.
For those interested, the survey can be filled out at https://bit.ly/SookeFoodSecurity.
To participate in a focus group in January, contact srchn@sookeregionchn.org or call 250-858-3458.
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