WAFOOD survey receives support from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

Among the several non-profit organizations and programs receiving recent emergency funding from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the University of Washington Foundation has received a gift in support of the WAFOOD food insecurity survey.

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation has to date provided $12 million in emergency funding to provide relief to the most vulnerable communities in Washington State who are suffering from food insecurity and economic hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The WAFOOD2 survey monitors economic shocks, employment conditions, access to healthy foods, and the rising need for food assistance among the most vulnerable communities in Washington State. The online survey is open to adults living in the state and will continue until the end of January 2021.   

“WAFOOD survey responses will help state and local agencies and community organizations direct their resources toward groups and areas in greatest need,” said Adam Drewnowski, team leader.

Food insecurity, linked to the economic crisis spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, has become a public health problem. 

The initial survey showed that 30% of respondents were food insecure, many of them with children. Early findings also found more food insecurity among groups with lower income and education and among persons of color.  

“We want to monitor the continuing impact of the pandemic on economic- and food-related well-being and provide the results to key state agencies” said Jennifer Otten, team co-leader.  

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation gift announced this week will allow the team to collect more data and look for signs of recovery. 

The WAFOOD survey is a joint effort between UW Center for Public Health Nutrition in the UW School of Public Health, Washington State University, and Tacoma Community College. 

UW faculty and staff involved in WAFOOD include members from the departments of Epidemiology, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, and the Nutritional Sciences Program.

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January 26, 2021