Updates to our Ongoing Research on Persistent Hunger in San Francisco and Marin
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically reshaped the world of food needs and assistance. While the pandemic shone a spotlight on food insecurity and the inequities that underpin it, these are not new issues. As this pre-COVID snapshot shows, 1 in 5 of our neighbors was at risk of hunger in 2019.
Our Missing Meals research provides a valuable historic look at the impact of government and non-profit support on the hunger landscape from 2009–2019. As our community establishes a post-pandemic “new normal”, we will continue to track new data and alternative indicators of food insecurity.
This research provides a rigorous assessment of trends in the food landscape in both San Francisco and Marin Counties, and the role of government and nonprofit food providers in meeting ongoing food needs. The report finds that there were 17.1 million missing meals in our service area in 2019, meaning that despite historic gains in our local social safety net, we still have much more work to do in our fight to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin.
Want to learn more? You can download the full report or a Fact Sheet here:
And follow us on Twitter for more Policy & Advocacy updates: @SFMFoodBank