School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management associate professor Yizhao Yang earned funding to conduct a study focused on food insecurity in Lane County. The $50,000 generous award comes from the University of Oregon Foundation’s Trustee Excellence Fund and was one of four programs to win. Yang's project will be conducted in partnership with Food for Lane County, a local nonprofit food bank founded in 1984, and its affiliated food pantries.
The team will investigate barriers to food assistance in the county and propose concrete ideas and solutions to improve outcomes, using data-driven decisions to inform the efficiency and equity of food distribution. In addition, the project will look to develop an online mapping system and analytical dashboard to visualize food distribution patterns and assess performance.
The project further aims to provide practical support and strategies by creating tangible tools and a scalable data-technology integration model for food banks that can, hopefully, be adapted to work nationally to reduce food insecurity and improve community outcomes. The study will involve nearly 70 undergraduate students through coursework and research, with five to seven students serving as research assistants.
Read the full announcement: UO Foundation Trustee Excellence Fund supports faculty addressing urgent social issues