To comply with social distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations addressing food insecurity had to forgo or modify in-person services, and some turned to new technology-based strategies, such as online ordering to facilitate curbside pick-ups or videoconferencing to conduct nutrition education sessions. But not everyone seeking food assistance has access to these new technology-based solutions, as many do not have computers, smart phones with data packages, or home-based internet service.

This digital divide is more pronounced for communities of color, with white adults more likely than Black or Latinx adults to have a computer and home internet. (We use the term “Latinx” to describe people of Latin American descent throughout this blog to be inclusive of all Latin American identities, but we also recognize that not every member of this population identifies with this term.) Although public Wi-Fi spots may fill the gap for some households, they are often underrepresented in areas with low-income residents, cost-burdened renter households, Black and Latinx people, and families with children, many of whom struggle to put food on the table, especially during the pandemic. In some rural communities where developing broadband infrastructure over larger, more sparsely populated areas is expensive, as many as one in four people lack internet access, compared with fewer than 2 percent of people in cities.

For food assistance programs, it’s important to create multiple avenues for overcoming technological barriers to engage with participants. We spoke with organizations promoting food access across the country that prioritized reaching food insecure populations with limited technology access during the pandemic. From our conversations, we have distilled three successful strategies for organizations promoting food access to overcome digital technology barriers.

  1. Pick up the phone. For many organizations that serve people without smartphones, sufficient internet access, or the ability to join videoconferencing calls, calling participants can be a viable option to stay in touch.
  2. Communicate through paper flyers or surveys. To ensure everyone received the same information regardless of digital access, some providers pivoted to communicating on paper, often including handouts in food packages during pickup or delivery.
  3. Harness the power of social networks. The pandemic left many organizations looking for new ways to connect with participants and partners outside of in-person programming.

Read the full article about reaching food-insecure populations by Olivia Fiol and Clare Salerno at Urban Institute.