An ethnographic study of homeless youth, the food experiences of squeegee kids

grantor: University of TorontoCurrent knowledge about food insecurity In North America is based on research with low-income households. The experiences of homeless people, a segment of the population who are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity, have been largely ignored by nutrition researchers. In this study, the food experiences of street youth, one of the fastest growing segments of the urban homeless population, were explored. To gain an understanding of their context-driven food experiences a critical ethnography was conducted. Over a five month period, field notes from weekly participant observation sessions with street youth at an inner-city drop-in centre in Toronto were compiled, and interview data were collected from six of these youth. Results of this study revealed that food access was precarious amidst the instability and chaos of street life. Further, in the context of homelessness, food was inextricably linked to and contingent upon other survival needs such as income, health, and shelter.M.Sc