Growing Food Equity: a Participant Observation Exploring the Role of Communication in a Nonprofit Organization’s Work to Improve Food Access in Urban Areas

Author

Samantha Jane Kaufman, University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeFollow

Date of Award

August 2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Media Studies

First Advisor

David Pritchard

Committee Members

Anne Bonds, Xiaoxia Cao

Keywords

Food Equity, Marketing, Nonprofit, Participant Observation, Urban Agriculture, Urban Development

Abstract

This thesis explores the concept of food equity and a nonprofit organization in Milwaukee, Victory Garden Initiative, that is working towards food equity by increasing food access in the city. The work explores issues of inadequate food access, urban development, and other nonprofit organizations working towards food equity. Through participant observation and interviews with VGI, the researcher found that a small nonprofit organization like Victory Garden Initiative is still bound by time, financial, and staffing constraints. In order for nonprofit organizations to market and run effective programming, they need to be efficient with limited resources, take advantage of any research available, and consider other avenues like primary research or policy work.

Recommended Citation

Kaufman, Samantha Jane, "Growing Food Equity: a Participant Observation Exploring the Role of Communication in a Nonprofit Organization’s Work to Improve Food Access in Urban Areas" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 1279.
https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/1279