Policy Research

The Policy Research Team at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank aspires to be a leading force in the fight against food insecurity, catalyzing transformative change at the intersection of research, policy, and community action. Together with our partners and supporters, we strive to build a brighter future where every individual can thrive with dignity and access to nutritious food.

Lebanon County Hunger Mapping

Nearly 50,000 people in Lancaster County face food insecurity, meaning that a staggering one in eleven Lancastrians experiences limited or uncertain access to adequate food throughout the year. Food insecurity is an unacceptable problem anywhere, but it is especially intolerable in a community as abundant as Lancaster.

To that end, this Community Hunger Mapping report is the charitable food system’s first major research initiative to better understand the causes, experiences, and dispersion of food insecurity in the county, as well as to make actionable recommendations that can improve neighbor experience at pantries in the immediate future and can begin to eliminate hunger in Lancaster County in the long term.

To learn more about the 2024 Lebanon Community Hunger Mapping Report’s findings and recommendations, please see the Executive Summary or the Full Report.

Lancaster County Hunger Mapping

Nearly 50,000 people in Lancaster County face food insecurity, meaning that a staggering one in eleven Lancastrians experiences limited or uncertain access to adequate food throughout the year. Food insecurity is an unacceptable problem anywhere, but it is especially intolerable in a community as abundant as Lancaster.

To that end, this Community Hunger Mapping report is the charitable food system’s first major research initiative to better understand the causes, experiences, and dispersion of food insecurity in the county, as well as to make actionable recommendations that can improve neighbor experience at pantries in the immediate future and can begin to eliminate hunger in Lancaster County in the long term.

To learn more about the 2023 Lancaster Community Hunger Mapping Report’s findings and recommendations, please see the Executive Summary or the Full Report.

Policy Report: Food Insecurity in Central Pennsylvania Food Bank Counties 2020 to 2021

Discover the insightful findings of our latest policy report that delves into the changing landscape of food insecurity within the 27 counties served by the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (CPFB). This retrospective analysis focuses on the years 2020 and 2021, using Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap estimates to uncover vital trends in food insecurity rates…READ MORE

03.28.2024 – Pennsylvania WIC Participation Dashboards Blog

11.28.2023 – Policy Blog: Lebanon County Data Bytes Pantry Visits, Very Low Food Security, and SNAP Blog | PDF

09.19.2023 – Policy Memo: The Impact of Universal Eligibility on School Breakfast Participation in Pennsylvania Blog | PDF

03.31.2023 – Research Brief: The Neighbor Experience at Food Pantries in Cumberland County Blog | PDF

02.22.2023 – Policy Brief: Estimated Impact of Universal School Breakfast in Central Pennsylvania Blog | PDF

01.04.2023 – Policy Memo: Food Price Inflation as of November 2022 Blog | PDF

11.10.2022 – Research Summary: Food Insecurity Among Working-Age Veterans Blog | PDF

Report Summary: Food Insecurity In Central Pennsylvania 2019-2020 PDF