Category: Programs

2017 Community Partner Honoree | Gary Maxworthy

September 19, 2017

After spending much of his adult life leading a Bay Area-based food distribution company, Gary Maxworthy suffered through a tragedy.  It was 1994, he was 56 years old, and his first wife died.  As the grief slowly began to subside, Gary’s three children came together and suggested a change.  They wanted him to do something with his life that would strengthen his community.  Gary agreed and soon joined AmeriCorps as a VISTA volunteer. His first and only assignment was with the San Francisco Food Bank. His mission: to think of ways to address the growing problem of hunger.

This was at a time when food banks were distributing mostly boxed and canned non-perishable foods.  Gary had an inkling of an idea that not only would increase the amount of food we distributed, but also to provide tons of fresh, healthy produce for our participants.  He started reaching out to his old food distribution contacts – growers and packers up and down California – and asked if they would be willing to donate their extra produce to the Food Bank.  The initiative was called Farm to Family.

Eventually the idea took off.  Now, nearly two decades later Farm to Family serves a statewide network of 43 food banks, providing 180 million pounds of fresh produce every year.  Six-hundred thousand Californians are nourished by this food every week.  Just last year, Farm to Family delivered its one billionth pound of fresh produce!

While Farm to Family would be enough to make someone a “Food Hero,” Gary went beyond all of that.  He has been revered for his innovative spirit, his leadership, and his mentoring of Food Bank employees.

Gary announced his second retirement earlier this year, but before he could ride off into the sunset, he was chosen as the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank’s 2017 Community Partner Honoree for his incredible legacy and contribution to food banking, not just locally, but around the nation.

Watch Gary’s tribute video above.  And listen to Gary, in his own words, in this recent KQED Perspectives piece.

Nutrition Education | Back-to-School Lunch Tips

September 6, 2017

Healthy, Safe Back to School Lunch Ideas

Back to school is an exciting time – so many new things to learn, new friends to meet, and reconnections with old friends. It also means busy mornings! Here are tips from our Nutrition Education team for packing delicious, nutritious school lunches and ensuring they’re safe to eat at lunchtime, a few hours after the food leaves your kitchen.

Food Storage and Safety

While going back to school and food safety aren’t always linked in our minds, we should pay attention while packing family lunches. Bacteria grow most rapidly when food isn’t kept at its proper temperature. Some tips to keep in mind:

  • Keep cold food cold – If lunch contains perishable food items like meats, eggs, cheese, or yogurt, make sure to keep it cold using frozen water bottles or freezer packs.
  • Keep hot food hot – If lunch includes something like soup, chili, or stew, use an insulated container like a Thermos to keep it hot. Fill the container with boiling water, let stand for a few minutes, empty, and then put in the piping hot food. It should stay hot until lunchtime.
  • Storing lunches overnight – You can save time in the morning by prepping a loved one’s lunch the night before, but be mindful of food safety! Keep lunches in the refrigerator to keep them safe.
  • Clean containers daily – Each night, clean lunch containers thoroughly with warm, soapy water or a disinfectant wipe.

Healthy, Portable Recipes

If you need inspiration to create tasty, portable lunches, look no further! Remember that ideally, lunches should include at least three of the five food groups – veggies, fruits, protein, grains and dairy. By incorporating multiple food groups into lunch, you’re making sure your loved ones get the nutrients they need to power through their day.

Some recipes we recommend:

Food Bank Innovations | Food Pharmacies

August 9, 2017

He’s really not one to gloat, but for the first time in a long time 39-year-old San Francisco resident Julio says he’s feeling healthy.

“I’m hoping to live a long life for my two kids and my infant granddaughter, and I have the Food Bank to thank for that.”

Julio has “pre-diabetes” which means if he doesn’t start making changes to his diet, he’s a candidate to develop Type 2 Diabetes. His doctor recently referred him to the Silver Avenue Family Health Clinic, in the city’s Visitacion Valley neighborhood. There, the Food Bank and the San Francisco Health Network (SFHN) partnered this year to open up a new program centered on healthy, nutritious food called Food Pharmacies.

Julio says he came in weighing more than 270 lbs, and a blood pressure reading of 190 over 102. Several weeks later, and he’s dropped a few pounds, and saw his blood pressure drop considerably. “I finally feel like I’m on the right path to good health.”

Alicia Hobbs organizes the program at Silver Avenue and says the idea is to use food as medicine in a new regimen aimed at patients with health challenges, such as diabetes and hypertension. “We’re not just introducing patients to healthy food…we’re teaching them how to cook this food in the healthiest way possible. Perhaps most importantly, we’re trying to create a community where these patients feel supported every step of the way.”

Along with the food, patients have access to weekly health screenings, one-on-one consultations with Registered Dietitians, and referrals to additional resources like CalFresh.

James Stancil helps coordinate the Food Pharmacy and is also a patient. “I’ve been on the program for several weeks now, and I can tell you that I’m now being taken off of some of my meds.  My health has improved that much…this program is definitely going to save some lives.”

UCSF Clinical Professor, Dr. Rita Nguyen is overseeing the program for the SFHN and says “Addressing these barriers is key to the Network’s priorities of delivering high-quality care for diverse populations and addressing health disparities. Clinic staff and patients have been really enthusiastic about this new programming which would not have been possible without our wonderful partnership with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank.”

Food Bank Director of Programs, Sheila Kopf couldn’t be happier to be partnering on such an innovative new program. “Good nutrition is essential for good health, and by working with these health care providers, we are building connections for patients to food assistance, which can improve their health outcomes for years to come.”

The plan is for the Food Bank and the San Francisco Health Network to open up five more Food Pharmacies in the city by the summer of 2018 and serve more than 200 patients.

We never stop innovating!  Support our Food Pharmacies and other new programs by donating today.

 

Healthy Children | Monday is Pantry Day

July 28, 2017

Later this month, it’s back to school for thousands of children all over the Bay Area.  A great many will likely groan when they hear the “Brapp! Brapp! Brapp!” of the alarm clock, but 9-year-old Za’niya is quite the opposite.  The incoming fourth grader at John Muir Elementary School in San Francisco actually looks forward to getting up early – especially on Mondays.  You see, Monday is pantry day at her school.  It’s when Za’Niya rises at 6am and helps her Great Aunt Jeanette, and her two cousins, Jayden and Jamire, set up the Healthy Children Pantry in the school’s cafeteria. Serving about 50 families every week, John Muir is one of 46 schools in San Francisco and Marin that partner with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank to host pantries for students and families throughout the school year.

“Six o’clock is kinda early, but it’s okay because I know we’re helping out a lot of people who don’t have enough food at home to eat,” says Za’Niya, as she maneuvers a box of produce on a table in the school’s multi-purpose room.

Za’Niya is partial to the apples that find their way to the pantry: “They’re sweet and I really like it.  I put them in my backpack or my jacket pocket and eat it at recess.”

Jeanette has volunteered as the pantry coordinator for a few years, motivated by the need she sees among the families who attend John Muir. Almost 90 percent of the students are eligible for the free and reduced-price lunch program.

Now that she’s retired, Jeanette finds it increasingly difficult to stretch her budget to cover living expenses. “It used to be that I would pass on taking food from the pantry. I would leave it for other families because I felt like they needed it more,” she says. “But now, I’m finding that my own Social Security checks aren’t covering all the bills. My family is also struggling, so I take a box of food from the pantry too – some for me, but mostly to make sure Za’Niya and her cousins have good food to eat at home.”

For busy families, accessing fresh, healthy food right on campus, just before the bell rings on Monday mornings, is a great help.

Ryan Lawler, Kindergarten teacher says, “It’s hard for a lot of our families; some work two or three jobs. They’re trying to get their kids ready in the morning, to get them on the bus, to get them here to school on time. So with the pantry right here at school, our parents have a convenient, reliable source of food to sustain their families all week long.”

Last year, about 4,000 families were served by Healthy Children Pantries like the one at John Muir Elementary. These farmers’ market-style pantries provide low-income parents with fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein such as chicken or eggs, and pantry staples like rice and beans.

Please give today to help parents provide their children with the food they need to stay healthy and thrive.

 

Feeding the Programs that Feed the People

July 12, 2017

Did you know that almost 10% of the food we distribute each year reaches neighbors in need through meal programs? The Food Bank provides ingredients to more than 200 local nonprofits who host soup kitchens or provide home-delivered meals.

In 2017, we are on track to provide four million pounds of food to meal programs throughout San Francisco and Marin. By purchasing ingredients in bulk and gathering millions of pounds of donated produce, the Food Bank provides high-quality, nutritious food to our partners.

We work directly with farmers, packers, manufacturers and retailers, sourcing fresh ingredients for partners such as Glide, Meals on Wheels, St. Anthony’s Dining Room, and St. Vincent de Paul, among others.

“The Food Bank is the foundation of the Bay Area’s food assistance network,” said Ashley McCumber, executive director of Meals on Wheels San Francisco. “We rely on the Food Bank as a primary source for fresh, healthy produce for our home-delivered meals and groceries. Thanks to our partnership with the Food Bank, we are able to nourish thousands of low-income seniors across San Francisco. Together, we are a formidable force to end senior hunger and isolation.”

Food Bank Innovations | Summer Kids Food Market

June 30, 2017

Little did 28-year-old Divon know that a recent visit to a local daycare center would greatly improve her day…as well as her entire summer.

She was heading to Dr. Charles Drew College Prep center in the city’s Bayview neighborhood to see what programs they might have for her precocious two-year-old daughter, Amaya. To her surprise, she discovered the Food Bank’s Summer Kids Food Pantry right on campus.

“I literally had nothing to eat in my house this morning,” said a delighted Divon. “I’m so glad I came by today.”

The single mother beamed as she filled a cardboard box with fresh, healthy food: salmon steaks, summer squash, plums, corn on the cob, and rice. Divon has a full-time job as an in-home care specialist, but paying all her bills – including rent, daycare, and utilities – often leaves her tapped out when it comes to buying food. Now, she plans to return to the pantry weekly.

“We manage to get by somehow…some months are better than others,” she said. “I do remember a stretch not too long ago when I was asking friends for food. I felt badly, but I did what I had to do to protect my daughter.”

The Food Bank started the Summer Kids Food Pantry program in 2016 as a way to help low-income families weather the summer months. It’s a time when many families face even greater challenges to put food on the table because their children lose access to free and reduced-price school meal programs.  In addition, many school-based pantries close for the season.

The first year of this program, we piloted two Summer Kids Food Markets – one in the Bayview, the second in Chinatown – and served over 400 families.  Last year we added a third location in the city’s Western Addition. This year, we’ve added a fourth location – in Potrero Hill. Together, these four pantries are serving over 500 families from 20 different schools.

Another parent visiting the Chinatown pantry recently was Ken, who has two school-aged kids and is a stay-at-home dad after a serious accident. His family just barely gets by, living solely on his wife’s income.

Ken said, “Without the Food Bank during these summer months, I really don’t know what me and my family would do. It really reduces stress knowing we can count on fresh vegetables, fruits and chicken each week until my kids get back to school.”

Do you want to support innovative projects like our Summer Continuation Pantries?  Donate now.

We Love Our Partners

June 27, 2017

The Food Bank relies on a huge network of nonprofit partners to help us distribute nearly 50 million pounds of food across San Francisco and Marin.  We team up with over 400 agencies and scores of pantry volunteers to get healthy food into the hands of our neighbors in need.  In many cases, we’ve been working with partners for decades!

Recently, the Food Bank honored hundreds of these pantry coordinators with special luncheons in both San Francisco and Marin.

“It was great to see so many of these pantry coordinators in one place and to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that happens every week to feed our neighbors in need,” said Food Bank Chief Program Officer Sean Brooks.

The highlight of each event was when the Food Bank gave out special Longevity Awards to partners who have worked alongside us for more than 20 years:

LONGEVITY AWARDS – San Francisco

  • Bayview Hunters Point Adult Day Health Center
  • Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center
  • Donaldina Cameron House
  • Dunleavy Apartments
  • Esperanza Apartments
  • Mendelsohn House
  • Mercy Terrace Apartments
  • Mission YMCA
  • OMI Senior Center
  • Potrero Hill Neighborhood House
  • Royal Adah Apartments
  • Southeast Asian Community Center
  • St. Anthony Foundation
  • Visitacion Valley Baptist Church

During the Marin luncheon, we gave out Milestone Achievement Awards to coordinators who have been assisting the Food Bank for at least 10 years.

 

 

 

 

 

MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS – Marin

  • Bennett House
  • Canal Alliance
  • Margaret Todd Senior Center
  • Maria Freitas Senior Housing
  • Marguerita Johnson Senior Center
  • Martinelli House
  • Parnow Friendship House
  • Ritter Center
  • St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
  • Salvation Army Marin
  • San Geronimo Valley Community Center
  • Venetia Oaks
  • West Marin Community Services
  • Mackey Terrace
  • Novato Human Needs Center

Jennifer Moeller with the award-winning Novato Human Needs Center said she has always been motivated to help people.

“Food is such a basic, fundamental need,” Moeller said.  “It’s something that people shouldn’t have to think about, or worry about.  One less stressor eliminated from someone else’s life is something we should all strive for.”

For more information on our pantry network, click here.   If you would like to get involved at your neighborhood pantry, call the Food Bank at (415) 282-1900 and ask for the Programs Department.

If you would like to view the pictures from San Francisco event, click here.

If you would like to view the pictures from the Marin event, click here.

 

Home-Delivered Groceries | Food & Friendship Door to Door

June 12, 2017

For many of our most vulnerable neighbors, food is more than the difference between an empty plate and a full stomach. It is also a lifeline – especially for neighbors who participate in the Food Bank’s Home-Delivered Groceries (HDG) Program.

For a closer look at the Home-Delivered Groceries program “in motion”, check out this video, taken at City Hope Community Center in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, featuring a beloved participant by the name of Susan who is visually impaired.

Then there’s the story of Marianne, who says the weekly delivery of fresh groceries she receives from the Food Bank is a life saver. She lives in a single-room-occupancy (SRO) hotel in San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood and struggles with many health challenges.

“I’m disabled and have a hard time getting around, so being able to get my hands on this food at home is literally saving my life,” she said.

Before enrolling, Marianne recalls it was a constant battle to get enough food to eat.  “I couldn’t feed myself. Thankfully neighbors would offer me meals every once in a while. But there were days when it was really scary just how hungry I was.”

Marianne is one of 1,400 people enrolled in the Food Bank’s Home-Delivered Groceries Program, which assists low-income seniors and adults with disabilities who are unable to get out to pick up groceries, but still able to prepare meals for themselves.

The goals of the program are to provide supplemental nutrition to neighbors in need, to reduce loneliness, and to check on the well-being of our homebound residents.

HDG Program Director Andy Burns recalls one volunteer who had been delivering groceries to a senior for more than a year.  “Of course she’s performing a check in with this gentleman each week to make sure he’s doing okay.  At one point, the volunteer became ill, and had to be hospitalized.  While she was recuperating, the participant became so concerned for her that he started calling her to check on how she was doing!”

On this particular Tuesday afternoon, the knock on Marianne’s door comes right on time, as she is busy preparing a crockpot stew and needs fresh carrots to make the meal sing. In addition to carrots, this particular delivery included apples, chicken, rice and other staples that will nourish Marianne until her next weekly delivery.

Home-Delivered groceries are also a treat for the volunteers on Marianne’s route – a team of developmentally disabled adults who are enrolled at the Pomeroy Recreation and Rehabilitation Center, where they learn work and life skills. On Tuesday mornings, the volunteers work together to pack these grocery bags, then they head out in the afternoon to make deliveries to 13 neighbors.

Pomeroy’s LouBee Zielinski coordinates the program and says the volunteers are thrilled to help. “They love the looks on peoples’ faces when the groceries arrive. And, to be empowered with something like providing food for others – that’s huge.  It’s like Christmas every week, and we get to be Santa Claus!”

In addition to the Pomeroy Center, there are eight other nonprofits which partner with the Food Bank’s HDG Program, but more partners are needed. For more information on our Home-Delivered Groceries program, how it operates, and how you can get involved, click here.

 

Meet Jayden, a Hunger Hero

May 26, 2017

Fifth grader Jayden and his family rely on weekly food assistance from the Food Bank, but his superpower is giving back. This little hero wakes up every Monday morning, two hours before school starts, to volunteer with his grandmother at their neighborhood food pantry.

When we asked him whether it’s hard to get up early, he says, “I do it to make sure that everyone who comes to school won’t be hungry.”

All year, kids like Jayden step up to help their families and community face hunger. But when schools close for the summer and families lose access to school meal programs, childhood hunger reaches its peak. Right now, proposed cuts to food assistance programs threaten to make childhood summer hunger even worse.

Luckily, today you have twice the power to fight childhood hunger. Through June 15th, PG&E is matching all gifts to the Food Bank. Please make a gift today and be a Summer Hunger Hero for kids like Jayden. Please donate here.

Betty Ann’s BFFs

March 20, 2017

In these fast-paced times, the way we connect with friends has been completely redefined. But for 94-year-old Betty Ann, connecting with friends the old-fashioned way is an important lifeline.

When the longtime San Francisco resident entered her 90s, she was living a pretty lonely existence. Her beloved husband, Murle, whom she married back in 1944, passed away from Parkinson’s Disease after they had been married over 60 years.

Her grandson moved in to help Betty Ann around the house, but something was missing: companionship with people closer to her age.

“A social worker suggested that with my fixed income it might be time to contact the local food bank to supplement my groceries,” she said. “He also promised that I would meet nice people and enjoy myself.”

Betty Ann took the advice to heart, and within a few weeks she was enrolled at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank’s pantry at Ingleside Community Center, just a few blocks from her home. Before long, several friendships blossomed with other seniors whom she met at the pantry.

“I met Zakia, and Lita, and Jean, and Margaret. When they have a birthday, we save our money and go someplace for lunch,” Betty Ann said. “Friends are very important, especially at my age. They keep me happy.”

Betty is thankful for the money she saves by receiving food at the pantry. Her favorite food items are chicken, eggs and vegetables – ones that would cost the most if she purchased them on her own. Like many seniors, she is trying to remain in the city she knows and loves, as the cost of living continues to climb.

“Everything is pretty high right now – the utilities and everything,” she said. “Everything goes up and my income stays the same.”

What isn’t staying the same is the network of friends Betty Ann continues to build at the Ingleside Community Center pantry.

Do you know a senior who could benefit from healthy groceries and companionship? If so, check out our Food Locator feature on our website.  There, you’ll find information about our pantry network, our other programs, and instructions on how to sign up for food assistance.

Donate to programs that help neighbors like Betty Ann.