Poverty and food insecurity are not far-fetched issues: in the Netherlands, over 500,000 households live in poverty, and an unhealthy diet contributes 8,1% to the total disease burden, resulting in 12,900 deaths annually. When people are forced to eat unhealthy food or skip meals, this has major consequences for their health and for society as a whole. Healthcare costs associated with unhealthy diets amount to approximately €6 billion annually, while stress and depression caused by food insecurity cost another €340 million.

The CBA examined 32 initiatives in Amsterdam-Noord, ranging from food distribution points and social restaurants to food connection spaces, urban farming projects, and one food hub. Volunteers and residents collaborate to salvage food surpluses, cook healthy meals, and build social networks. The network reaches approximately 1,900 low-income households and generates an estimated €15 million in social value annually, while its annual direct resources amount to only €1.7 million. Without the food initiatives, the costs of poverty, health problems, and environmental damage would rise to approximately €45–55 million annually.

The coronavirus crisis forced many to pause. We wanted to use this momentum to examine how we've structured our society and economy and how we intend to rebuild them after the crisis.