Creating Alternative Food-Provision Efforts In Local Congregations

“Facilitating full food security across religious communities. ”

Team Members/Contributors

Sarah Gatson Texas A&M University Contact Me

About this project grant for researchers

We engage in an inquiry and intervention of the religiously affiliated food provision efforts in Brazos County, TX. We will implement an alternative food provision method in the form of edible gardens installed at local congregations, followed by a study of the usage and development of the gardens by the congregation. American religious groups remain the primary organization by which Americans contribute and distribute resources to those in need in their communities (Chaves and Eagle 2016). Steensland and Goff (2013) and Unruh and Sider (2005) as well as other ethnographic works on religious social service find that generally, high numbers of religious congregations tends to correlate with an increased number of social service programs. In the Bryan-College Station area alone there are nearly 200 religious congregations (http://www.rcms2010.org/). However, Brazos County also has a significantly higher than average percentage of its population that are food insecure compared to other counties in Texas (Feeding America 2018). Given the high number of religious bodies in the area and the previous research documenting religious involvement aimed at reducing local hunger issues, this percentage of food insecure people in Brazos County seems extremely incongruous, and warrants in-depth examination.