北海道におけるフードバンクの運営基盤強化に貢献する連携組織の役割

抄録

The aim of this study is to clarify the characteristics of food banks in Hokkaido and to examine the role played by the Hokkaido Food Bank Network in supporting their activities.

While the number of food banks in Japan is increasing, many of these have been in operation for only a short period of time and lack adequate know-how. Food banks in Hokkaido, in particular, face unique challenges compared to those in other regions. This is due to factors such as the vast geographical distances, the high proportion of fresh agricultural products among donated food items, and the dispersed locations of food bank centers. This study investigated six food banks in Hokkaido. The findings are as follows：

To address the challenges faced by food banks in Hokkaido, the Hokkaido Food Bank Network was established in 2023, supported by initiatives from core food banks and from public policies. This collaborative organization was formed to facilitate information sharing among food banks, consolidate external communications, and coordinate food transfers among member organizations. The Network also plays a vital intermediary role by helping strengthen the operational foundations of the food banks which are facing a variety of challenges.

Currently, the operations of the organization's secretariat are still in a developmental stage, so it must rely on the core food banks. To resolve this weakness, it will be necessary to make secretariat functions independent of the collaborating organizations. Furthermore, although supporting people in distress is fundamentally the role of government, food banks, which are far more agile, can play a significant role, and support for their activities is essential. Finally, due to a lack of human and financial resources, one food bank has not been able to join this network, in spite of the help that it needs. This suggests that further public support will be necessary.