RESEARCH TRACK 1 — Community food [system + environment + security]
About this track​
This track focuses on community food systems, food environment, and food security. As part of this track, we have investigated several sub-topics, including:: ​
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How urban food environments are created and how or why they vary in different communities;
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How community food insecurity can be assessed holistically;
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The role of urban agriculture in achieving food security, food justice, and community development;
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The challenges associated with community food insecurity and urban food production; and
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Critical assessments of the role of community gardens in minority and disadvantaged communities.
Relevant projects
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Unearthing the Urban Agriculture–Environment Connection: Implications for UA Planning, Practice, and Policy (2024 - 2026)
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Sponsor - National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Mahbubur Meenar (PI), Asif Ishtiaque (Co-I), Md Shahinoor Rahman (Consultant), Garrett Broad (I), Qian He (I), Nicole Vaughn (I), $300,000
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Supporting Effective, Community-Informed Food (2024 - 2025)​
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Sponsor - South Jersey Institute for Population Health, Jeanine Cava (PI), Garrett Broad (Co-PI), Mahbubur Meenar (Co-PI), and Kate Cairns (Co-PI), $24,574
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What To Do About Community Food Insecurity? Is Online Grocery Delivery Model a Potential Solution in Camden, NJ? (2021 - 2022)
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Partner - Invincible City, Mahbubur Meenar (PI)
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Glassboro Food & Health Equity Project (2020 - 2022)
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Sponsor - Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/ New Jersey Health Initiatives, Mahbubur Meenar (PI), Leslie Spencer (Co-PI), Melanie Stewart (Co-PI), $50,000
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Glassboro Food Hub - Technical Assistance Mini-Grant (2022)​
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Sponsor - Illinois Public Health Institute, Mahbubur Meenar (PI), $7,500​
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Glassboro-Camden Collaborative Learning on Food and Health Equity (2021 - 2022)​
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Sponsor - Healthy Places by Design, Mahbubur Meenar (PI), $15,000 ​
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Inclusive Healthy Community Grants Program (2021 - 2022)
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Sponsor - New Jersey Division of Disability Services, Leslie Spencer (PI), Dara LoBuono (Co-PI), and Mahbubur Meenar (Co-PI), $75,000 for a sub-award through The Family Resource Network (lead applicant, $250,000)
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Three-County Collaborative on Inclusive Community Gardens and Cooking with Fresh Produce​ (2022 - 2023)
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Sponsor - MissionWorks/Healthy Places by Design, Leslie Spencer (PI), Mahbubur Meenar (Co-PI), and Dara LoBuono (Co-PI), $15,000
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Relevant publications
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LoBuono, D, Spencer, L., Bottiglieri, J., Kientz, M., Mastrangelo, M., Meenar, M., & Berman, D. (2024). Evaluation of interprofessional cooking classes and home gardens in group homes. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. Online First https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2024.06.011.
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Tirri, C.**, Nealer, D.**, McCarthy, K.**, & Meenar, M. (2023). Public perceptions of local food environments in shrinking cities: Weighing solutions to community food insecurity in Camden, New Jersey. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 8(1), 100703.
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Spencer, L., LoBuonoa, D., Meenar, M., Bottiglieri, J.**, & Berman, D. (2023). Expanding community engagement and equitable access through all-abilities community gardens, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 55(11), 833-840.
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Meenar, M., Morales, A., & Bonarek, L.** (2017). Regulatory practices of organized urban agriculture: connection to planning and policy. Journal of American Planning Association, 83(4), 389-403
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Meenar, M. (2017). Using participatory and mixed-methods approaches in GIS to develop a Place-Based Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Index. Environment & Planning A, 49(5), 1181–1205.
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Meenar, M. (2017). Assessing the spatial connection between urban agriculture and equity. Built Environment (special issue on Planning for Equitable Urban and Regional Food Systems), 43(3), 364-375.
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Meenar, M. (2015). Nonprofit-driven community capacity building efforts in community food systems. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 6(1), 77-94.
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Meenar, M. (2014). Gardening and quality of life. In A. C. Michalos (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research (pp. 2396–2399). Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
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Meenar, M. & Hoover, B. (2012). Community food security via urban agriculture: understanding people, place, economy, and accessibility from a food justice perspective. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 3(1), 143-160.
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Meenar, M. (2012). Feeding the hungry: food insecurity in lower income communities. In N. Reid, J. Gatrell, & P. Ross (Eds.), Local Food Systems in Old Industrial Regions (pp. 71-91). Surrey, England: Ashgate.
