What’s the difference between a food policy council and a frontline service?

People often misunderstand what we do. When they hear the name Kamloops Food Policy Council (KFPC), they ask if that’s a food bank. Although frontline services like the food bank have goals similar to those of the KFPC, like relieving hunger and reducing poverty, we act on these goals differently.

Frontline services provide direct support like meals, clothing or shelter for those in need. If we imagine our society as a stream, the top of the stream holds root causes for systemic issues like homelessness and food insecurity; midstream we can see the effects and risks these systems cause at a community level; and downstream are individuals and small groups that are actively being harmed by these issues, such as those experiencing food insecurity or homelessness.

At each level of the stream are different interventions. Downstream, we have frontline services, such as food banks and shelters, that can help individuals and small groups (like a family unit). Midstream, we have community-level interventions, like public education campaigns, distribution of harm reduction materials and programs, and initiatives to improve food availability and neighbourhood safety. At the top of the stream we have policy, governing bodies, the education system, and systemic racism.

The KFPC operates at the upstream and midstream levels, where we advocate for policy reform, provide government and community education to shift mindsets, and work to break down forms of systemic oppression in our local community and in governing systems.

Here is a great visual from Research Gate that illustrates the upstream, midstream and downstream levels of society.

Since the closure of the Mustard Seed’s day room and The Loop drop-in centre, we’ve noticed community members are being referred to The Stir for immediate, or downstream, help. Going out of your way to ask for help, only to realize you’ve been directed somewhere that can’t offer you what you need, can be tiring, upsetting, and even harmful.

So, what is the difference between frontline work and food policy work?

Here is a breakdown of the work that we do at the KFPC and where you can refer people who are in need of immediate services.

Frontline services:

● Provide on-the spot help, including:

  • Food and water
  • Harm reduction and hygiene supplies
  • Clothing
  • Shelter
  • Personal advocacy and referrals
  • One-on-one support for individuals and families

Food Policy Councils:

● Policy advocacy and systems change, including:

  • Delegations to different levels of government
  • Public campaigns regarding policy and systems change
  • Public education opportunities and campaigns
  • Programing that models our ideal vision of the food system, to create grassroots change with the help of volunteers; e.g.
    • Butler Urban Farm – a food commons anyone can access 24/
    • Gleaning Abundance Program – relocating privately owned food assets, like fruit trees, to the commons
    • The Stir – shared infrastructure and business coaching to bolster local food in our conventional food system and supply chain

While not a frontline service provider, we do offer some resources that can be part ofsomeone’s toolkit of resources. These resources include:

You can check out our food resources list to find frontline services to refer the community to. This resource is updated quarterly and is a great to print and distribute to your neighbours!

Still have questions about our work, or want to support us? Email us at info@kamloopsfoodpolicycouncil.com or chat with us at one of our bi-monthly potlucks and network meetings! To find our next engagement opportunity, head to our events calendar

Originally written for CFJC Sound-Off.