The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Insecurity in Los Angeles County
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a crisis in the U.S. food system and made disparities in food access and food security worse. Widespread food insecurity and hunger are severe threats to population health and national security.
Our multidisciplinary research team, under a strategic partnership with the Los Angeles County Emergency Food Security Branch, is evaluating the state of food insecurity in L.A. County during the pandemic. Our aim is to integrate innovative data sources that reflect the various features of our food system in order to and understand the broad impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity in Los Angeles County.
Meeting with L.A. County experts on a weekly basis, the team has been answering pressing questions such as:
how has access to food and food insecurity changed?
what food and financial assistance programs are being accessed by people experiencing food insecurity, and are they effective?
how do the answers to these questions vary based on demographics and neighborhood location?
The research findings have informed L.A. County’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness of food assistance resources for residents in need and develop new programs. In the long term this research can help to chart a path for long-term strategies for food security and justice.
Principal Investigator
Kayla de la Haye, PhD
Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California
delahaye@usc.edu
Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California
delahaye@usc.edu
Co-PIs
Wändi Bruine de Bruin, MSc, PhD
Provost Professor of Public Policy, Psychology, and Behavioral Science, Sol Price School of Public Policy, Dornsife Department of Psychology, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, and Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California
wandibdb@usc.edu
John Wilson, PhD
Professor and Founding Director, Spatial Sciences Institute; Professor of Sociology, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, and the School of Architecture, University of Southern California
jpwilson@usc.edu
Provost Professor of Public Policy, Psychology, and Behavioral Science, Sol Price School of Public Policy, Dornsife Department of Psychology, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, and Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California
wandibdb@usc.edu
John Wilson, PhD
Professor and Founding Director, Spatial Sciences Institute; Professor of Sociology, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, and the School of Architecture, University of Southern California
jpwilson@usc.edu
Co-investigators
Marianna Babboni, BS
USC Dornsife Public Exchange, University of Southern California
babboni@usc.edu
Arie Kapteyn, PhD
Professor and Director, Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR), Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
kapteyn@usc.edu
Kenan Li, PhD
Research Scientist, Spatial Sciences Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
kenanl@usc.edu
Htay-Wah Saw, PhD
Research Associate, Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters Arts and Sciences, Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) Survey Research Center (SRC), University of Southern California, Institute for Social Research (ISR), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Kate Weber, MS
Director of the USC Dornsife Public Exchange, University of Southern California
katewebe@usc.edu
USC Dornsife Public Exchange, University of Southern California
babboni@usc.edu
Arie Kapteyn, PhD
Professor and Director, Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR), Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
kapteyn@usc.edu
Kenan Li, PhD
Research Scientist, Spatial Sciences Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
kenanl@usc.edu
Htay-Wah Saw, PhD
Research Associate, Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters Arts and Sciences, Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) Survey Research Center (SRC), University of Southern California, Institute for Social Research (ISR), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Kate Weber, MS
Director of the USC Dornsife Public Exchange, University of Southern California
katewebe@usc.edu
Student RAs
Michelle Livings
PhD Student, Spatial Sciences Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
livings@usc.edu
Sydney Miller
PhD Student, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California
sydneynm@usc.edu
Mengya Xu
PhD Student, Spatial Sciences Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
mengyaxu@usc.edu
PhD Student, Spatial Sciences Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
livings@usc.edu
Sydney Miller
PhD Student, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California
sydneynm@usc.edu
Mengya Xu
PhD Student, Spatial Sciences Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
mengyaxu@usc.edu
Community Partners
County of Los Angeles, Chief Sustainability Office & Emergency Food Security Branch
