兰德-定义和绘制社会脆弱性作为洛杉矶县粮食不安全的代理（英）-55页_3mb

Objective: To map and define social vulnerability as a proxy for food insecurity in Los Angeles County, with a focus on the Westside Food Bank (WSFB) service area, to optimize program design and investments.

Methods: Used publicly available datasets, primarily the CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (SVI, 2020), which assesses relative vulnerability across four themes (socioeconomic status, household characteristics, racial/ethnic minority status, housing/transporation). Aggregated data at the census tract level to identify high-vulnerability regions.

Key Findings:

• Social vulnerability is concentrated in the eastern and southern parts of the WSFB service area, with significant concentrations of vulnerability just outside the service boundaries.
• Racial and ethnic minorities, low-income residents, individuals with disabilities, and families with limited resources are disproportionately affected.
• High-need areas overlap with schools serving high percentages of low-income students, existing food distribution partners, and public libraries.

Recommendations:

1. Expand Distribution Partners: Partner with schools, libraries, and public libraries to address weekend gaps and reduce stigma.
2. Integrate with Health Systems: Collaborate with healthcare providers to increase access through food-as-medicine programs.
3. Target Vulnerable Populations: Focus on culturally appropriate food needs, timing of distribution, and accessibility for homeless and mobility-impaired individuals.
4. Future Research: Improve partner capacity metrics, explore best practices for collaboration with different partner types, and gather cultural preference data from clients.

Limitations: Public data provider lists may be outdated, and SVI data (2020) may not reflect recent changes. No detailed assessment of partner capacity.