Author: Cady Osgood-Otis

Our Volunteers Make A Difference

May 31, 2018

Forty thousand!  That’s the number of volunteers who have walked through our doors and helped sort produce, pack one-pound bags of rice, or staff one of our Produce Pop-Ups.  Volunteers are not just a way for us to involve the community in our mission to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin – they are intrinsic to our entire operation.

We’ve done the math, and 40,000 volunteer working shifts in our warehouses and out in the community put in as many hours as 62 full-time employees. To put it simply, we couldn’t accomplish all that we do without the support of our amazing volunteers.

Carly Levin is a Food Bank board member and the executive director of JP Morgan Chase & Co.  She and other employees have been among our biggest supporters, volunteering dozens of hours in our warehouse, and making generous donations – including a $25,000 match for our first-ever volunteer-only matching gift challenge in April.  Their support is essential for keeping many of our vital programs up and running.

“There is no better way to spend the day,”says Levin, who recently volunteered at a food pantry. “Participants are filled with gratitude for the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables they receive to feed their families. And our job as volunteers is to make them feel welcome.”

In April, we hosted a special celebration in our San Francisco warehouse to mark Volunteer Appreciation Week.  We invited some of our most ardent supporters for a day of fun, food and carnival games as a way to show our gratitude. Click here to view our photo album from Volunteer Fest 2018.

We distribute 48 million pounds of food to nearly a quarter of a million people every year and volunteers are essential to this work.  Thank you, volunteers – for your dedication and enthusiasm for  helping our community.

 

 

Deana’s Story | Working 40 Hours and I Still Can’t Make It

May 15, 2018

Deana gives a big sigh as she takes a seat inside the multi-purpose room at her daughter’s elementary school in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood.  It’s 5 o’clock, and the 28-year-old single mom is catching her breath before picking up six-year-old, Dionni, from the after-school program at Charles Drew College Prep Academy. It’s the first time in hours that Deana has had a chance to relax, after putting in a full day at her job at the online clothing store, Stitch Fix.

Even though Deana works 40 hours a week, she worries about paying all of her bills. “It’s hard to make it in this city — rent is high, commuting is expensive,” she says. “The end of the month is always a little touch and go. Fortunately, I haven’t gotten to the point where we are skipping meals, but it’s close sometimes.”

That’s where the Food Bank comes in. Every week, the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank brings fresh produce, grains, and protein to the Charles Drew campus, so students and families can access food at school.

This afternoon, Deana picks up her daughter and also gathers a bag of free, fresh groceries at the school pantry. She enjoys the variety, and changes up her dinner menu from week to week, depending on what the Food Bank has to offer. “I like to chop up the vegetables and make stir fry,” she says. “Sometimes I’ll take the ground turkey and make tacos…we like to do Taco Tuesdays at our house.”

“When you give cucumbers, we take as many as we can because Dionni loves to make homemade pickles,” she adds.”We slice them up and put them in a jar with some special juice that we make.”

Tackling Summer Hunger

For Deana, summer time can be extra stressful. When school is out, her childcare costs increase and the school pantry is closed. She also has to cover the added cost of lunch and snacks that her daughter would ordinarily receive through the school’s meal program.

To help families like Deana’s, the Food Bank will operate four Kids Food Markets in San Francisco throughout the summer.  These are special pantries, designed to serve students and families from schools that operate food pantries, which close when school is not in session. The Food Markets will be located at Malcom X Academy in the Bayview, Starr King Elementary School in the Potrero Hill neighborhood, Gordon J. Lau Elementary School in Chinatown, and John Muir Elementary School in the Western Addition.

If you would like to support this program and help us provide meals to children and families, consider a donation to the Food Bank today.

Sarah’s Story | Second Chance with CalFresh

May 1, 2018

Sarah breaks out her CalFresh (food stamps) EBT card at a neighborhood supermarket and gives a relieved smile because she is able to purchase the healthy, fresh vegetables that she needs to maintain and improve her health.

Every year, the Food Bank helps hundreds of neighbors like Sarah enroll in CalFresh because we know that accessing healthy food is essential for low-income neighbors who are striving to overcome challenges.

Bad luck and broken dreams

It was several years ago when Sarah suffered a pair of episodes that cast a dark cloud over her life.  In 2011, while walking up a flight of stairs on a rainy night, she slipped and tumbled over the banister, free falling two stories to the ground below. “I still have a lot of pain and range-of-motion issues, not to mention some emotional scars, from that fall,” She recounts.  Then, not even a year later, her father passed away after a long illness.  The pain from her fall, and the pain of losing her father combined to launch Sarah into a state of deep depression. She lost her job and eventually her apartment and became homeless.

Before these misfortunes, Sarah dreamed of owning her own health spa. She grew up in San Francisco’s Marina neighborhood in an upper-middle class home. After high school, Sarah moved to Los Angeles to “make her mark on the world.”  But when her father started having health issues, she moved back to the Bay Area to be closer to him.  Sarah found a job in a high-end health spa in Sausalito and really took to it.  “I had a real knack for working in that place, and I thought I was going to own my own spa business one day,” she says.

Building a better life

Today, lingering health challenges have made it hard for Sarah to find work. But that hasn’t stopped her from striving for a better life.  She recently secured her own apartment, is receiving treatment for her injuries, and is eating healthier thanks to her CalFresh benefits.

“I get about $180 a month through CalFresh, which is a big help by allowing me to buy fresh vegetables and protein and other things,” she says. “When I finally get back on my feet financially, I hope to stop getting CalFresh.  But for now, it really is a life-saving thing for me.”

Take Action for CalFresh

Unfortunately, her worrying isn’t over. Sarah says she’s fearful that politicians will cut much of the funding for CalFresh when they vote on the 2018 Farm Bill. Losing CalFresh could send her spiraling back to her darkest days.

“If I had a chance to tell a politician about CalFresh, I would say it’s working, that it’s helping people like me be better,” Sarah says. “If anything, more money needs to be added to the program, not less, because there are people in this city who are way worse off than me.”

If you are in need of CalFresh benefits, the Food Bank’s CalFresh Outreach team can help; learn more by clicking here.

If you want to help neighbors like Sarah move forward and realize their dreams, sign up for our Policy and Advocacy Newsletter and we’ll send you alerts when we need your help with petitions and phone calls to elected officials.

Princess’ Story | Healthy Food Helps Bond This Family Together

March 28, 2018

As a parent, Princess can think of nothing more important than giving her kids a healthy future, despite challenges her family faces every day as they struggle to make ends meet. We met Princess recently at the Food Bank’s Healthy Children pantry at Bessie Carmichael Elementary School in San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood.  It’s here where this dark-haired woman with the radiant smile shared her story of struggle, and how the Food Bank helped her family move forward.

Out of love and also out of need, Princess shares clothing with her wife, Dina, an army veteran who suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and a host of other physical injuries after multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Her mental and physical challenges, while improving, have taken a toll on the family.

“There is very little income to speak of…we’re depending on V.A. affordable housing as well as the Food Bank to get by,” said Princess. She recounts the time, not too long ago, when the family was homeless and moving from shelter to shelter, sometimes spending nights in their car when shelter beds were full. Princess would hide her pain and tell their kids, “It’s like camping. We are going to have fun.”

While the family was grateful for shelter, Princess said the meals served at temporary housing facilities were often small and not very nutritious. Princess and Dina worried that their three young children weren’t getting the food they needed to grow and thrive.

That changed when one of Princess’ kids told her about the food pantry at school. She was delighted to discover she could get free, fresh vegetables and groceries every Thursday morning when she took the kids to school.

“It was a relief to be able to get good, healthy food for the kids,” said Princess. “The doctor said they need fruits and vegetables for their bodies, and now I can give that to them.”

Dina says the food “is a big part of family bonding and that’s a part of the equation of why our family works.”

Soon after joining the food pantry, Princess and Dina’s gained confidence to move forward. With perseverance and a little luck, they secured an affordable apartment on Treasure Island through the Veteran’s Administration. In their new home, Princess can cook for her family. With groceries from the Food Bank, she prepares home-cooked meals including a family favorite – steamed vegetables with rice and chicken.

Now the family is able to focus on the future.  Dina has gone back to school, while Princess cares for their children and runs the household.  They are hopeful that they will tackle their many struggles so their family can thrive in the long run. “The nutrition helps a lot,” said Dina.  “When your belly is full, you can better manage the troubles in life.  This food is helping to keep my family together.”

Princess and Dina are so grateful to the Food Bank donors. “We hope they never tire of giving because they are really making a difference for families in need,” said Dina. “It’s more than putting food in kids’ bellies. Instead of paying for food, we can pay the bills, like rent, and clothes, and medical expenses. It’s really a big help to families like ours. Thank you so much for making such a big difference in our lives.”

If you would like to help families like Princess and Dina’s, please consider making a donation today.

“Game-changing” Expansion in Marin County

March 23, 2018

It’s no secret that the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is constantly on the lookout for new ways to expand in order to feed more of our neighbors in need.  We took one giant step in that direction with the purchase of a large warehouse in San Rafael in January 2018.

“This new facility is a game changer for us,” said Executive Director Paul Ash. “For several years, we have been looking for additional warehouse space that would enable us to continue growing our operations and serve even more neighbors in need. This new facility will enable us to do just that – to increase our food distribution, add more services, and engage with more Marin residents who wish to volunteer their time in our warehouse.”

Room to Bloom

The new building is 38,000 square feet, about three times as large as the Food Bank’s old warehouse in Novato.  It includes a vast, wide-open warehouse, plus ample office space for the Food Bank’s growing staff and programs.

The Food Bank will move out of our leased facility in Novato at the end of March. Our Marin Shop Floor, where partner agencies visit to pick up fresh produce and groceries, will be up and running in the new warehouse in early April. In a relatively short time, the Food Bank expects to increase services and food distribution in Marin through the new facility.  Another exciting benefit is considerably more space for volunteers and community events.

Marin Volunteer Program Temporarily Suspended

The only interruption expected by the Food Bank during the transition to the new space will be a temporary pause in the volunteer program in Marin.  “We are already in the process of constructing a Volunteer Welcome Center and work space in the new building,” said Volunteer Services Manager Cody Jang.  “We hope to invite all of our dedicated Marin volunteers – along with hundreds of new volunteers – into our new building in 3 to 6 months.”

Get the latest updates on Marin volunteering by joining our Marin Volunteer email list – click here to subscribe.

You can count Food Bank Board Member and Marin resident Chef Tyler Florence among those excited by all the possibilities.  “One of my goals is to reach out to more young people, and really expose them to the issue of hunger in Marin County,” Florence said while touring the new facility. “I envision school kids taking field trips here, volunteering their time, learning and immersing themselves in the fight against food insecurity and food waste in their communities.”

The building was previously owned by Food Bank supporter who not only sold the property at a favorable price, but who also made a generous donation to help facilitate the sale.  Ash says that kind of generosity helps fuel the Food Bank’s mission to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin.

“We’ll need more of that kind of generosity to really feel the impact that a building like this can provide,” he said. ” Right now, we need to make $2 million worth of upgrades to get the new facility  ‘Food Bank Ready.’ We will launch a capital fundraising campaign soon and asking the community to come together, give, and help make this dream property a reality property.”

Food Distribution Uninterrupted During Move

The good news is that even though the Food Bank is transitioning out of the old building and moving into the new building, services to Marin residents will not be impacted.  Our Operations team will still be hard at work, as usual, building orders for the nearly 50 pantries operating in Marin, with the San Francisco team filling in when needed.  The last time the Food Bank expanded was in 2011 when the San Francisco Food Bank merged with the Marin Community Food Bank.  Since then, the amount of food distributed in Marin County has nearly tripled, from 2.1 million pounds to 6.1 million pounds.

Hunger in Marin

In spite of the phenomenal growth and success that the Food Bank has achieved since 2011, there still remains a substantial unmet need in Marin. The latest data from the Food Bank’s Missing Meals Report shows that Marin residents missed out on approximately 9 million meals in 2015, a significant meal gap that persists even with the food provided by government programs and nonprofits like us.

Media Coverage

Click here to check out all the local news coverage generated by the purchase of this our new building.

 

Advocacy Update | Food Bank team goes to Washington, D.C.

March 10, 2018

On Saturday, February 24th, the Food Bank’s Policy and Advocacy team – Becky Gershon and Diana Jensen – boarded a plane for Washington, D.C. to attend the annual National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference and Lobby Day. This conference, hosted every year by Feeding America and the Food Research and Action Center, is an opportunity to connect with hunger advocates from around the county.

The focus this year was the Farm Bill, which is up for review by Congress later this year and includes policies and funding for SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps, called CalFresh in California).The Food Bank and our fellow anti-hunger advocates are on high alert, since this omnibus bill is reauthorized just once every 4 or 5 years, and Republican lawmakers have threatened with funding cuts for SNAP numerous times in recent months.

SUNDAY, March 25

There was plenty to see on Day One of the conference, but the highlight was a panel session that included Charles M. Blow, an Op-Ed columnist at The New York Times, and Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center. The conversation quickly turned into a back-and-forth on the complex intersection of institutional racism, our education system, income inequality – and how it all relates to food insecurity.  When it was over, the panel received a several-minutes long standing-ovation.

MONDAY, March 26

Monday’s sessions focused on the latest legislative threats to federal nutrition programs like SNAP, strategies for strengthening the federal safety net, ways to alleviate poverty, and how to address issues of economic exclusion. One of the panelists speaking on Monday was Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), who has been a voice for the most vulnerable and a strong advocate for working families.  His speech left no doubt that he will continue to be a leading champion on working to improve and protect SNAP. Whether that means calling out damaging ideas like the recent ‘America’s Harvest Box’ proposal, or overdue strategies, like increasing the benefits to respond to the true cost of living.

TUESDAY, March 27 – Lobby Day

Like in years past, this conference wrapped up on Tuesday with visits to Capitol Hill where our team joined 1,000 anti-hunger advocates to walk the halls of Congress, meet one-on-one with legislators, and urge them to protect SNAP, which benefits over 40 million Americans who might otherwise go hungry.

Becky and Diana kicked off the day by meeting with staff of Senators Diane Feinstein and Kamala Harris.  They explained the critical importance of a strong SNAP program for Californians across the state, and the need to fully fund the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Supplemental Food Program, which help food banks to keep distributing nutritious groceries. In the afternoon, they met with staff from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Jared Huffman.  Both are incredible allies in our local work to end hunger!

In the months ahead as the Farm Bill discussions ramp up, we will stay vigilant, and using our voice to fight for a strong, responsive, and accessible SNAP program for our neighbors in need. We can’t do this work without you!

Check out the #hungerpc18 hashtag on Twitter to see inspiring moments and reflections from the conference.

 

Plant a Seed, Grow a Legacy | Radha Stern & Gary Maxworthy

February 20, 2018

When you enter Gary Maxworthy and Radha Stern’s home, the scent of Radha’s homemade oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies wafts through the air. If you catch them around mealtime, Radha is likely to offer you lunch.

Food is family, friendship, and community to the couple. They’ve made feeding struggling neighbors their personal mission. Their connection to the Food Bank is so strong that when they got married in 2000, they tied the knot at our San Francisco warehouse.

Food Connects Us

“Food is nurturing,” said Radha, who has been a volunteer fundraiser for the Food Bank for many years. “Whether it’s a hot dog or a gourmet meal, food connects us. It’s the time when people come together. But if you’re hungry, you can’t think, and you can’t succeed.”

Both Gary and Radha have experienced scarcity in their lives. Gary grew up post World War II in England where there were often shortages. Radha grew up in a working-class American family, and she was a single mom in her 20’s, struggling to put food on the table.

The couple met later in life in the food brokerage business. After a successful career, Gary decided to retire in his mid-50’s and devote his life to service. He ended up working at the Food Bank and creating the Farm to Family program.

A Food Revolution

Farm to Family radically changed food banking in the Bay Area, and across the country. Before the program, people received mostly canned and boxed food, but Gary convinced farmers to donate their extra produce. Today, the majority of what the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank distributes is fresh fruits and vegetables.

“I’m so proud of the fact that we are able to provide people with healthy, nutritious food both with Farm to Family and the work Radha has done,” said Gary. “Our small ideas have turned into something.”

Message from Paul Ash | Leave SNAP Alone

February 14, 2018

President Trump released his budget proposal for 2018 earlier this week, that if approved would cut and cripple a number of vital safety-net programs, including SNAP.  Trump’s proposal includes things like:

  • Reducing SNAP spending by $213.5 BILLION over 10 years
  • Partially replacing EBT benefits with a box of food commodities from USDA
  • Penalizing large families by imposing a cap at 6 people per household
  • Eliminating the minimum benefit

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank was quick to act, submitting a strongly worded statement (Below).

We are deeply troubled by the President’s proposed federal budget released earlier this week, which takes direct aim at our country’s most important and effective anti-hunger program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (called CalFresh in California). These proposals to slash funding and dismantle the program would amount to over $200 billion in cuts over 10 years – equivalent to 30% of the program’s budget – through cruel and ill-conceived ideas like partially replacing benefits with boxes of USDA commodities, capping benefits for large households, and eliminating the minimum benefit. We recognize the harmful effect that this negative rhetoric has on our communities and the people we serve, and we continue to remain firmly committed to using our voice to elevate the importance of federal nutrition programs like SNAP for the 4 million Californians who rely on the program to nourish their families.

If you would like to help the Food Bank through these trying times, consider giving a donation, filling a volunteer shift, or following us on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Instagram.

Gloria’s Story | Aging with Grace

January 22, 2018

Pay a visit to the cafeteria during lunchtime at the Mission Creek Senior Community Center, and chances are pretty good you’ll easily spot Gloria Hernandez from across the room.  She’s the one with the million-dollar smile, which expresses her glowingly positive outlook on life.

It’s been a long journey for this spunky mid-westerner.  She grew up in Chicago, got married there, had three sons, and eventually divorced in the early 70s.

“I was a single mom for many years…then my boys all moved out, and come 1994 I decided it was time for a change, so I moved out too!” she said. “I came to San Francisco for better weather and a new outlook on life.”

The first few years in San Francisco went well for Gloria, but in 2006, she lost her job and her apartment. With just days to go before she would end up living on the streets, Gloria was referred to a new senior center, located just around the corner from AT&T Park. One of the first perks of living there was receiving free food at the on-site pantry, courtesy of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank.

“The food is a godsend,” Gloria said, continuing to beam. “My social security income is $915 a month, and nearly half of that goes to rent. After I pay my heat and utilities and get my toiletries and such, I sometimes have $6 left in the bank!”

In her married days, Gloria never worried about money. But after the divorce, she moved between a few jobs to try and get on her own feet.

“I never quite built up my retirement,” she laments.  “But believe it or not, I feel richer now.  Not financially of course, but because I’m surrounded by loving, caring friends, and staff members here.”

What does she like best about weekly groceries from the Food Bank?

“The food is so balanced. It helps feed the mind, body and spirit of the seniors living in this building,” she said. “A good home and good food – if you have one without the other, you just don’t survive. So you’re really saving lives over here.”

David’s Story | Security Alert

January 22, 2018

As a security guard in San Francisco, David’s job is to protect life and property.  It’s somewhat ironic that at home, he and his family face another serious threat: hunger.

“My salary is decent,” said the 62-year-old father of three. “But with kids and living in this city, where it’s so expensive, I’m finding more and more that it’s simply not enough.”

High Cost of Living

David’s story is one told all too often in this city.  A recent report from the California Budget and Policy Center finds that San Francisco tops the list of most expensive counties in California when trying to support a family.  For example, a family of four, with two working parents, needs to earn about $111,000 a year to simply cover the basics of rent, food, healthcare, transportation, child care and taxes. Marin County ranks second at $110,000 a year.  Both figures far outweigh what David is taking home in his paycheck.

“My wife is unable to work right now, so it’s up to me to support her and the kids,” he says.  Two of those kids are high school boys. The third is David’s 13-year-old 8th grade daughter, Shreena, who attends James Denman Middle School in the city’s Balboa Park neighborhood. It’s here where he and his family find a little bit of relief. For the past several months, they have been accessing the Health Children’s pantry on campus, picking up a bag filled with fresh produce, protein, and staple grains every week.

David is most impressed with all the fresh produce they are able to get at the pantry. “The kids love all the fruit – the apples, pears, and oranges. I like the fresh vegetables,” he says excitedly. “The best part is that some of the food lasts for several days. Some of the items, like the chicken, I’m able to freeze when I get home and cook it a couple of days later.

A Better Community

In the end, David figures the Food Bank is saving him and his family a couple hundred dollars a month.  With teenagers who are constantly growing out of clothes and shoes, that money seems to disappear quite regularly. Still, it’s a comfort for him knowing that every Thursday afternoon he’ll be able to get a grocery bag filled with healthy food if he needs it.

“Some people say that it’s a waste of time to help the people of this city who can’t afford to feed themselves. I say that’s not right,” David says. “We are all making this community better in our own way, and it’s important to protect that.”