FOOD ACQUISITION PRACTICES OF HOMELESS ADULTS - INSIGHTS FROM A HEALTH PROMOTION PROJECT

A health promotion project at an inner-city drop-in centre for homeles s adults provided an opportunity to examine the food problems experien ced by this group and to explore some possible responses. The extreme poverty which characterized program participants' lives shaped their f ood acquisition practices, severely limiting their ability to regularl y purchase food, and to access food preparation and storage facilities . Most participants consequently depended on charitable food assistanc e programs for their meals. To encourage and enable participants to ta ke greater control over their food intakes, a series of nutrition-rela ted programs were piloted in the drop-in centre. While the programs ho d important social benefits, they did not substantially alter particip ants' food acquisition practices or improve their food security. The e xperience highlights the importance of advocacy for social and economi c changes to address the poverty which currently compromises the food security of some Canadians.