Evaluation of the Social Supermarket model across three new sites: Report to Wellbeing SA.

Abstract

Despite abundant food supply, individual and household food insecurity affects nearly 9% of South Australian adults [1]. Through a Public Health Partner Authority Agreement between Wellbeing SA and The Department of Human Services, the Government of South Australia is progressing policy action to improve food security. This partnership seeks to implement the recommendations of the Improving Individual and Household Food Security Outcomes in SA report [2], to create a coordinated food relief sector, and support people to move out of food insecurity. The Social Supermarket (SSM) expansion project continue to explore the potential of a local-based blended food relief service model, featuring co-located social services, social enterprise components, and employment pathways – an embodiment of the key principles of the South Australian Food Relief Charter. Following a pilot at The Food Centre (TFC, Gepps Cross) in 2020, Wellbeing SA commenced a new project in 2021, to further pilot-test the SSM model and accompanying rubric. Three new sites (two existing emergency food relief services and one community food social enterprise) participated from Southern metropolitan Adelaide, and regional South Australia. Sites were guided to do a self-assessment of their organisation’s food relief practice against the SSM rubric elements and to explore the feasibility of implementing elements of the SSM model in their practice. This report presents evaluation of the three new sites expansion