"We have a roof over our head, but we have to eat too:" Exploring shifting foodscapes from homelessness into Housing First in Kingston, Ontario

Safe but stifled: Assessing the impact of space and place on risk and adaptive response among shelter residents during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed society's interactions with spaces and places. This is especially true for shelter residents who had greater perceived risks of contracting the virus, largely because of communal living. To understand how shelter residents conceptualized their risk and resilience, we implemented a PhotoVoice project with five artists living in a Miami, FL shelter. Although these residents sometimes perceived the shelter as safe, it was often to the detriment of self-determination. Despite profound restrictions, residents still found ways to adapt to their environment. This article helps shelters and scholars alike better understand the ways that residents conceptualize their lived environments and highlights opportunities to empower residents despite challenging circumstances.

The experience of food insecurity during and following homelessness in high-income countries: A systematic review and meta-aggregation

Homelessness is a pervasive challenge caused by poverty which continues to grow in economically developed countries, posing significant health impacts (Fazel et al., Lancet, 384: 1529-1540, 2014). While food security related to poverty and low income has been investigated, this review specifically explores the experience of food security during and following homelessness. Given the fact that the health of individuals who experience homelessness is known to be poor and the importance of nutrition, this is a necessary contribution. Informed by a health equity lens, this review synthesises the findings and quality of the literature regarding experiences of food security during and following homelessness in high-income countries. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Qualitative studies published to date were obtained from six databases. We conducted a meta-aggregation of existing qualitative findings. Twenty-four studies on 462 participants were included in the review. Through meta-aggregation four themes were created: (1) imposed food options as a determinant of health out of my control; (2) obtaining food for survival despite stigma or other consequences; (3) situated within a system that maintains food insecurity; and (4) surviving hardships. Persons during and following homelessness in high-income countries face multiple challenges when securing food while situated in an oppressive system that lacks choice. Despite this, persons who have experienced homelessness demonstrate resilience by finding ways to meet their basic needs in the face of imposed barriers. Implications for research, policy and practice are offered.