A new approach to a wicked problem: development of a cross-sector community-centered learning network to tackle childhood food inequity

Food insecurity is a complex societal problem that disproportionately impacts households with children and those led by minoritized populations, with negative impacts on health across the life course. System to Achieve Food Equity adapted the learning systems model, used to address similarly complex problems, to tackle food insecurity at a neighborhood level. SAFE, born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, leverages a family-centered, community-based, cross-sector network fundamentally aimed at changing the food system so that all children in Cincinnati have the food they need to thrive. Through the following principles, Community-Led Network, Co-Production with Community, Equitable Sustainability, Learning to Learn Together, Distributing Leadership and Power, and Shared Data and Governance, SAFE has grown to over 300 individuals and 100 organizations, funded 9 novel interventions, distributed over 270,000 meals, and created a collaborative of motivated like-minded stakeholders. Future work includes improved data collection and sharing, support for increased stakeholder engagement and greater distribution of leadership and power, advocacy for policy change, refining measurement tools of network maturity for community settings, and collaboration with other efforts that contribute to food security indirectly.