Fireside Chat
Friday December 5, 2008
Advisors on Tap:
Jillian Moskal, RD
Caroline McAuley, MBA (c) BSc.RD
Healthy Weights Initiative / Alberta Health Services- East Central Health
Food Insecurity: The Cost of Living
Understanding Perspectives and Influencing Policies
Today’s Fireside Chat
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Food Insecurity: The Cost of Living – Understanding perspectives
and influencing policies
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It can be hard to visualize living in low income until you have the
opportunity to walk down that path. The community nutritionists of East
Central Health Region in Alberta developed an activity highlighting the
impact of poverty on making ends meet and specifically in terms of food
security. It is a tool created to raise awareness and start a dialogue
addressing food insecurity in our own communities. It can be used in a
variety of settings from classrooms to boardroom. It is applicable for
students, policy makers, practitioners, educators, new colleagues, and
anyone working in food insecurity.
We, as citizens in our communities and health professionals need to be
strategic and creative in addressing food security. In presenting the bigger
picture to support community economic development and healthy public
policy, we can affect change!
Overview
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Purpose
History
Game components
Uses
Real life example
Opportunities
Purpose
• To help participants understand how food
insecurity occurs
• Challenge myths about food insecurity
• To promote brainstorming about solutions
to food insecurity
History
• “Cost of Eating in Alberta” document
created by Community Nutritionists in
2005
• Created as a “vehicle” to stimulate
discussion of this document
Preface to game
• What is food security?
• What is food insecurity?
• Do you know anyone who is food
insecure?
• Are there situations that may place
individuals in this condition?
• What do we know about food insecurity?
Game board
Circumstances
Roadblock
Playing the game
1. Arrange participants into groups and provide each
group with an activity board, a circumstance sheet
(example #1, 2 or 3) and a die.
2. Using the play money, place the monthly income
amount from each group’s circumstance sheet on the
space marked ‘monthly income’ on their activity board.
Place the scenario cards that match the circumstance
number above the stop sign on each board.
3. Explain to the players that they are to ‘pay’ their bills by
placing the dollar amounts outlined in their
circumstance sheet on the matching square on the
board. Note that they may not be able to pay all of their
bills.
Playing the game
4.When the players reach the ‘roadblock’
stop sign have them roll the die to
determine the number of scenario cards
they need to pick up (minimum 1,
maximum 6).
5.Have the teams discuss each scenario
and how it affects their ability to pay their
bills, buy food or provide for their family.
After playing the game
• When groups are finished discussing,
have each group report on their
experience.
• Use the discussion to inform participants
about relevant issues, existing programs
and services, and to brainstorm about
potential solutions to food insecurity
• What did you learn?
• What can we do?
Example - Vermilion
Monthly Income
Monthly Expenses
$3640
$2443
Difference
$ 657
After the game
• When groups are finished discussing,
have each group report on their
experience.
• Use the discussion to talk about relevant
issues, existing programs and services,
and to brainstorm about potential
solutions to food insecurity
• What did you learn?
• What can we do?
Opportunities to use the game
• Where could you play this game?
• Consider who to (and who not to) invite
the table
• What can this game be used for?
– Awareness of the situation
– Causes of food insecurity
– Advocacy
– Create support for local food systems
How to customize this for your community?
• Contact an agency (such as Social
Services) about possible scenarios in
your community
• Use “Cost of Eating” documents from
your province
• Contact agencies such as local food
banks, early intervention programs to
partner to create awareness
Questions?
• For more information, contact:
– Jillian Moskal- Community Nutritionist
• [email protected]
– Caroline McAuley- Health Promotion
Facilitator
• [email protected]