Seattle city departments use GIS technology and a Racial and Social Equity Index to understand community needs, address food insecurity, and guide equitable investments across programs and services.<\/p>\r\n
Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n At any given time, an estimated 250,000 people in Seattle and other parts of King County, Washington, don\u2019t know where their next meals will come from. Here, as in many urban communities, compounding factors determine who has access to fresh, healthy food and who does not. Race and income impact food insecurity, and communities with this vulnerability tend to be clustered by zip code.<\/p>\r\n Seattle\u2019s Food Action Plan, a long-range strategy for unblocking barriers to food security, looks beyond traditional programs to help residents put fresh food on the table. Fruit orchards, community gardens, and other projects on public land are a growing part of the solution.<\/p>\r\n Yet, turning the plan\u2019s aspirations into real, sustainable outcomes\u2014healthy, vibrant communities\u2014requires clarity and precision. That\u2019s where community organizers get help from smart mapping tools like Seattle\u2019s Racial and Social Equity Index (RSE), powered by geographic information systems (GIS) technology.<\/p>\r\n Combining the RSE Index with additional data-rich maps, departments can answer essential questions to more effectively address hunger: Where are the communities most vulnerable to food insecurity? What food programs are already in place to fill in gaps, and where are they located? Where is public land available that could be used to expand food production? Equally important, where can new public investments make the greatest difference?<\/p>\r\n As an additional benefit, access to GIS provides nonprofits and other community organizations up-to-date information about Seattle\u2019s Urban Food Systems (UFS) Program<\/a> and local food production. Partners use the data to locate resources, determine food availability, coordinate services, and prevent waste. Until recently, this information was available only to city staff.<\/p>\r\n \u201cI\u2019m really hopeful because I see what can happen when we have meaningful and effective collaboration between community groups and government working together to co-create solutions and change through our policies and programs,\u201d said Bridget Igoe, food policy adviser for the City of Seattle.<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"gallery","gallery_images":[774030,774031,774033]},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":" Seattle\u2019s UFS Program is one of many programs in the city that collect and monitor GIS location data for better planning and decision-making. UFS\u2019s Food Action Plan Map<\/a>\u00a0incorporates RSE index data\u00a0on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic and health disadvantages to\u00a0identify\u00a0equity priority census tracts.\u00a0The\u00a0map\u00a0also\u00a0shows\u00a0where\u00a0food is grown, where\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0distributed, and where gaps still exist.<\/p>\r\n A second GIS resource,\u00a0for greater visibility into the local-food supply chain,\u00a0is the\u00a0UFS Program Stewardship dashboard<\/a>. It provides detailed inventories on food harvested from community gardens and more than 1,000 fruit trees flourishing on public land. Local food pantries distribute fruits from the orchards. Grab-and-go produce bags that include culturally relevant foods for Black and Indigenous residents are available free at Delridge Farmers Market.<\/p>\r\n Creation and implementation of the dashboard made a significant impact on how UFS communicates information to its stakeholders and communities at large.<\/p>\r\n \u201cIt\u00a0changed everything,\u201d\u00a0said Paris Yates,\u00a0UFS\u00a0program\u00a0manager.\u00a0\u201cWe now have a live system that anyone with access can use without having to ask for the information.\u201d<\/p>\r\n What makes the\u00a0Food Action Plan\u00a0Map\u00a0especially\u00a0valuable is\u00a0its visual representation of\u00a0where\u00a0food programs and distribution sites\u00a0appear\u00a0in\u00a0proximity to\u00a0neighborhoods that have\u00a0endured\u00a0the greatest historic and ongoing disadvantage.<\/p>\r\n The\u00a0patterns should change over time as\u00a0community\u00a0data, cross-departmental teamwork, and authentic community partnership\u00a0combine to\u00a0make equity in service delivery\u00a0real.\u00a0\u201cIn this way,\u00a0the map\u00a0becomes\u00a0a picture of both progress toward food security and\u00a0lingering\u00a0gaps,\u201d said Jordan Ng, the\u00a0GIS\u00a0analyst\u00a0who worked with Yates\u00a0to build\u00a0the\u00a0platforms\u00a0that track program stewardship, maintenance activities, food harvest, and\u00a0equitable\u00a0service delivery.<\/p>\r\n With the\u00a0Food Action Plan\u00a0Map now\u00a0active\u00a0and new data\u00a0compiling\u00a0for\u00a0an accurate\u00a0assessment of\u00a0food production,\u00a0city staff\u00a0and community partners\u00a0have the insights they need to continue\u00a0refining their outreach strategies. They also hope\u00a0the data will help\u00a0improve coordination among agencies\u00a0for\u00a0quickly\u00a0moving\u00a0perishable\u00a0food to\u00a0people\u00a0who\u00a0need it.<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"gallery","gallery_images":[774034,774035,774036]},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":" The RSE Index<\/a> draws on three layers of data: race and ethnicity, socioeconomic disadvantage (income and education), and health outcomes (for example, obesity, asthma, and life expectancy). Combining these indicators enables Seattle\u2019s Office of Planning and Community Development to provide a tool for advancing equity not just in food programs but also across city government.<\/p>\r\n No longer is equity an abstract principle. Today, it is a measurable, decision-shaping component that moves project teams from intention to data-informed choices.<\/p>\r\n City staff can use the index to establish standard processes for identifying service gaps, improving outreach, and ultimately connecting residents with the resources they need. That might mean help paying utility bills, access to clean energy programs, or support navigating the legal system.<\/p>\r\n A range of Seattle\u2019s service delivery teams now rely on the RSE Index:<\/p>\r\n\r\n The RSE Index has strengthened cross-departmental collaboration, particularly between the GIS team and the long-range planning team. Together they help teams across the city ensure that decisions about investments, outreach, and policy are grounded in high-quality data reflecting community demographics and experiences.<\/p>\r\n Seattle\u2019s approach to equity within service delivery has become a model for other communities. Instead of starting from scratch before every decision, city teams begin with a common view\u2014based on maps and data\u2014that tells the story of how quality of life and basic needs differ by neighborhood. The goal might be food on more tables, protection from flooding, or simply keeping the heat on in winter. The starting point is a map showing who needs the most help and where they live.<\/p>\r\n As Jordan Ng put it: \u201cGIS helps us tell the story of why this work matters.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Learn how cities are using GIS to advance racial and social equity<\/a>.\u00a0See how a city can integrate social equity analysis to make investments aligned with the severity of needs<\/a>.<\/p>"}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"\n\r\n \t
Making Inequity Visible<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
One Index, Every Department<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
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