PREPARED BY: Comprehensive Health Promotion

DATE: 2026-11-12

The Municipality of Leamington and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, in partnership with the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB), the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB), and community organizations, are launching a food access pilot in two high-needs neighbourhoods in Leamington. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, two identified schools will serve as trusted community hubs to test a neighbourhood-based approach to food access.

The pilot aims to address immediate food needs among students and families while generating evidence on the effectiveness, sustainability, and scalability of this model. Findings from the pilot will inform future municipal recommendations and actions to address food insecurity by leveraging existing community assets and advancing neighbourhood-based approaches that extend beyond school-focused interventions.

Food insecurity remains a significant and growing concern in Windsor and Essex County (WEC). While a range of food support services are available, barriers such as transportation, awareness, accessibility, and service capacity can limit residents' ability to access these supports. This pilot will assess whether a neighbourhood-based food distribution model can improve access to nutritious food and strengthen local support networks. The pilot represents a low-cost, partnership-based opportunity to:

• Improve access to food for residents experiencing food insecurity.
• Leverage existing community assets and infrastructure.
• Strengthen collaboration among local organizations and service providers.
• Generate evidence to inform future community food security planning and investment decisions.
• Test a scalable model that could be adapted or expanded based on demonstrated need and outcomes.

DISCUSSION

To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of neighbourhood-based food access approaches, the pilot will implement and evaluate two complementary food distribution activities at two elementary schools. Both activities will operate over an eight-week period and will use schools as trusted community hubs to improve access to food for residents experiencing food insecurity. Details of each activity can be found in Table 1.

Pilot Scope and Assumptions: Both activities will use participating schools as neighbourhood distribution hubs. Activity 1 will serve households registered through UHC/Salvation Army and meeting established eligibility requirements. Activity 2 will provide flexible, low-barrier access to meal packages for students and families. Final decisions regarding weekly distribution volumes, service boundaries, operating hours, school-specific procedures, household limits (where applicable), and contingency plans for situations in which demand exceeds available supply will be confirmed prior to implementation.

The proposed food access pilot is a collaborative initiative to support immediate food needs at the neighbourhood level. Food distribution programs may improve access to food, but they do not address inadequate income, the primary determinant of household food insecurity. By using schools as trusted community hubs and testing both registered and low-barrier food distribution models, the initiative is expected to provide insights into the feasibility, acceptability, sustainability, and operational considerations associated with neighbourhood-based food distribution. Evaluation findings will inform future municipal and community planning for food access supports, while recognizing the need for income-based responses to address household food insecurity.