Food Bank News has found that 33 of the 101 largest food banks in the country are excelling in using their websites in four areas important to advocacy — having SNAP-related education and outreach on the site; having an advocacy page; having legislative policies on the site, and having calls to action.
Thirty-three food banks received a “High Honor Roll” grade for being active in all four areas. An additional 25 food banks were found to be active in three of the four areas, granting them the distinction of “Honor Roll.” (The findings cover only the advocacy activities visible via the websites of the 101 largest food banks by revenue, as identified in our 2021 report of the Top 300 Food Banks.)
For a detailed look at all the food banks on our High Honor Roll and Honor Roll, see our special report, 2022 Advocacy Honor Roll.
SNAP – widely recognized as a critical tool in combating food insecurity – emerged as the most common advocacy effort on food bank websites, with 83 food banks having SNAP outreach on their sites. Top food banks not only have instructions on how to apply for SNAP, but have volunteers and employees available to speak to new applicants and answer any questions via email or a hotline.
The best SNAP information is the kind that is easy to find, and the most common placement is under a “Find Food” or “Get Help” page. However, sometimes it appeared deeper in a site after a few minutes of searching around. In either case, to meet the SNAP outreach requirement, a specific mention of SNAP and a direct link to SNAP services, rather than general 211-type assistance, was necessary.
Some food banks stand out in this area. Riverbend Food Bank, for example, offers detailed information on SNAP assistance, with a step-by-step overview of the process, a list of frequently asked questions, guidance on income qualifications, and even a photo of a SNAP outreach coordinator, along with contact information.
The outreach at Harvesters Community Food Network seeks to take fear out of the equation, with a sample question in the Q&A reading: “How does Harvester’s SNAP Outreach team make the process easier and less intimidating?” Several food banks, including East Texas Food Bank, Alameda County Community Food Bank and Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico, offer contact forms directly on their sites so people can request immediate assistance or quickly see if they qualify for benefits.
Sixty food banks of the top 101 have advocacy pages on their websites, helping to inform people through things like links to legislative offices, federal and state food policy summaries, and research. The advocacy page at North Texas Food Bank is particularly rich, explaining the importance of advocacy and offering numerous resources for getting informed. Oregon Food Bank also stands out for having numerous pages devoted to advocacy, including several related to specific policies.
Almost all of the food banks with advocacy pages (58 of the 60) include calls to action on those pages. These could be simple, like signing up for a newsletter, watching a video or clicking a link to more research. Or they could be more sophisticated. Food Bank for New York City and Oregon Food Bank, for example, both offer the ability to automatically send detailed emails to elected officials about specific policies. Among its many calls to action, Houston Food Bank offers links to voter registration services and also sample emails for advocates to send to their representatives if they are unsure how to voice their opinion.
Only 39 qualifying food banks explicitly outline their legislative priorities on their websites. To truly change systemic food insecurity, this is the action that holds the most weight and demonstrates a deep commitment to change. Ideally, the policy pages reflect current year initiatives.
Capital Area Food Bank in D.C. continues to be a leader in this space, putting forth detailed two-page policy agendas for every level of government where it has interactions, including two state governments, six local governments, and federal and multi-jurisdictional areas. Northwest Harvest of Washington state also stands out, offering a detailed 2022 legislative agenda and providing regular updates on current legislative priorities. Food Lifeline, also in Washington, has an attractive document outlining its current policies and also did an effective job of trumpeting its wins in 2021. – Zachary Smith
For an in-depth look at all the food banks on our High Honor Roll and Honor Roll, as well as additional information, see our special report, 2022 Advocacy Honor Roll.
Zachary Smith is a data reporter with Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. He is a former data intern with Food Bank News and graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Zachary has also reported for Everyday Health, VICE UK, and Crains New York.
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