DECEMBER 28, 2015
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 28, 2015) – The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is currently $500,000 behind in contributions compared to this time last year. In order to continue its regular programing in 2016, the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank must make up this shortfall by midnight, December 31st.
Paul Ash, Executive Director of the Food Bank, says, “These are critical funds with critical consequences. We read in the news that the unemployment rate is low, but 80% of the people we serve are outside the umbrella of employment: children in poverty, the elderly, and people with serious illnesses who are unable to work. Furthermore, with the extremely high cost of living in this area, many of the folks we serve are employed – sometimes with two or three jobs – but they simply don’t earn enough money to reliably put food on the table.”
“I imagine this is how the people we serve feel at the end of every month,” says Ash. “You have to look at your budget and ask yourself if you can make more money somehow or start cutting back on the things you need. For a lot of people, the only thing left to cut out is food. That’s why the Food Bank is so important. We provide an essential service that people can count on. In turn, we count on donations to be able to continue our work.”
In a single week across San Francisco and Marin, the Food Bank provides:
1 million pounds of food via 450 food pantries and partner organizations
Meals to 30,000families
Home-delivered groceries to 11,000 seniors
A healthy mid-morning snack to 9,000 students
Because of its efficient operations, generous food donations, and bulk-purchasing power, the Food Bank is able to turn every one dollar it receives into five dollars’ worth of food.
“Many people are surprised to learn that 60% of the money we rely on comes from individuals. So we’re not being poetic when we say that every person can make a difference.
By giving now, members of the community help provide food directly to their neighbors need,” Ash says.
People in the community can help ensure this work can continue in 2016 by donating in one of three ways:
Online at www.sfmfoodbank.org
Over the phone by calling 415-282-1907, ext. 249
By sending a check or cash to the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, 900 Pennsylvania Avenue,
San Francisco, CA 94107
Visit www.sfmfoodbank.org to donate, sign up for a food drive, or volunteer.
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About the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank
The Food Bank plays a central role in the food assistance network in San Francisco and Marin, where one in four residents is at risk of hunger. Families, children, seniors, and individuals find critical support in the food the Food Bank delivers to its 450 partnering organizations, including 246 weekly grocery pantries. Set up farmer’s market-style, the Food Bank’s pantries enable households to select groceries that can be used to create home-cooked meals. Nearly 60 percent of what is distributed is fresh fruits and vegetables. The Food Bank will distribute more than 48 million pounds of food to the community this year alone – enough for more than 100,000 meals every day.
Media kit: www.sfmfoodbank.org/media-kit
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