Document Type
Presentation
Publication Date
12-2021
Abstract
The purpose of our project was to expand the food options provided at the Centre of Hope (COH) to better reflect the cultural diversity that exists within the London community. Overall, our project aimed to provide all individuals with the opportunity to consume food they are familiar and comfortable with, using a food choice-model system. This involved the creation of four deliverables: a comprehensive list of food options specific to the major minority groups in London, a culturally-specific food preference survey (physical and online versions, to improve accessibility), and a flyer with a QR code to encourage survey responses. The result of our project was that we were able to equip the COH with the resources and information they need to implement culturally-appropriate food options in the springtime. Although a major limitation of our project was that we were unable to administer the food survey, we can conclude that it will be useful for the COH to better serve underrepresented populations in our community. Additionally, it will help prevent food waste due to clients not wanting, enjoying, or being comfortable using the food options that are presented to them. For the COH, we recommend keeping the online version of the survey open all year round so they can continue to collect feedback from new clients and stay current with cultural food preferences. Overall, our project has the potential to minimize the food insecurity disparity experienced by minority groups, while reinforcing equity, diversity, and inclusion principles.