Growing together or growing apart? : A study of food donation community garden programming during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened food insecurity by curbing the food supply chain, slowing the delivery of provisions to food banks and pantries, and magnifying the impact of the pandemic on those depending on such resources to meet their nutritional needs. The study’s objective was to identify areas of resilience and vulnerability in food security intervention programming during the COVID-19 crisis, with specific attention to fresh produce donation partnerships. This study examined the cultivation and provision of fresh produce to food pantries in Iowa before and during the pandemic. It also analyzed the experiences of volunteers in a Master Gardener volunteer program in Iowa, which grew the donated produce. The study analyzes program data on donation quantities and labor hours and uses a time series analysis and content analysis to understand changes between the pre-pandemic and pandemic years. Findings include a significant decrease in labor hours during the pandemic years of 2020–2021, which volunteers attributed to multi­­level government policies and social distancing requirements. Vulnerabilities revealed in this study were exacerbated by the pandemic rather than singly caused by it. Volunteer shortages, donation inconsistency, and exclusionary practices of community appeared to be inherent to the concept and structure of volunteer-based food donation partnership programs.