Roots Community Food Centre published the Dignified Food Access handbook in June 2021 after consultations with partner organizations and community members about how to make accessing emergency food a more dignified experience. The guide is designed for staff and volunteers working with social service organizations who support people accessing emergency food. The handbook proposes three principles to lead action toward dignified food access: 1) respect and trust, 2) care and empathy, and 3) non-judgmental assistance.

In practice, the handbook describes four key elements to Dignified Food Access: 1) Quality Food Choices offered in a 2) Respectful Way, in a 3) Welcoming Environment, backed by 4) Advocacy to fight the root causes of food insecurity.

The Handbook offers practical, straight-forward examples of ways organizations can put Dignified Food Access into action. It can be downloaded from the Roots CFC website at rootscfc.org.