Category: Programs

CalFresh Expands to 400,000 Californians and Counting

February 20, 2020

CalFresh Expansion Makes History

In April, we shared the big news on a policy change that expanded CalFresh (food stamps) eligibility to people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). For the approximately 1.2 million Californians who rely on the maximum SSI benefit of just $783 a month (just 74% of the federal poverty line), finally being eligible to receive nutrition benefits can make a tremendous difference in their quality of life. Since the policy change went into effect in June 2019, we’ve been working tirelessly along with our county, state, and community-based partners to get the word out and help enroll the newly eligible seniors and adults with disabilities.

Our hard work has paid off! As of December, nearly 405,900 SSI recipients have been newly enrolled in CalFresh. That’s one-third of the entire SSI population in the state! These new applicants are receiving an average of $75-$85 per month to help meet their grocery needs.

“It has helped me a lot – you wouldn’t believe it!”

You might remember 71-year-old San Francisco resident Queen, we blogged about her last year. When the policy change went into effect in June, we helped her navigate the application process. We caught up with her last week to hear about how receiving CalFresh has impacted her life.

Queen shared her excitement about being able to use the benefits to get extra spending power at farmer’s markets through the Market Match program. “The CalFresh benefits help me purchase foods at a local African grocery store. It reminds me of my home in the Gambia,” she said. CalFresh helps her keep in good spirits. She shared, “If you eat good, of course, it impacts your health. I have been diagnosed with depression, so sometimes when I want to lift my spirit, I go and get something that I really like to eat and it helps a lot.”

Take Action!

Are you an SSI recipient interested in applying for CalFresh benefits?

  • CLICK: Apply online: GetCalFresh.org
  • CALL: Call our hotline to get application assistance in English, Spanish, or Chinese: 415-549-7021
  • COME IN: Walk into a county office to apply in person: Locations are listed on the Human Services Agency website

Are you a community-based organization interested in helping your clients enroll? 

  1. The Food Bank provides CalFresh Outreach and Application Assistance training for agencies who work closely with SSI recipients. For San Francisco-based agencies, contact Ada Lai at 415-282-1907 x258 or alai@sfmfoodbank.org. For Marin organizations, contact Alexandra Danino at 415-282-1907 x014 or adanino@sfmfoodbank.org
  2. Check out the San Francisco Human Services Agency Partner Toolkit, which includes helpful resources and outreach materials
  3. Download informational flyers to hand out and post at your organization:

School Pantries Make a Difference in a Family’s Life

February 12, 2020

Walking into any elementary school at the end of the day is filled with lots of hustle and bustle as kids run to the playground to greet friends and their parents or guardians. That’s certainly the case at Paul Revere Elementary San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood. Although, there is a difference with this school’s day end and that’s the long tables in the entrance filled with brimming baskets of colorful fresh produce and stables like lentils and rice. That is our Healthy Children’s Pantry.

Since 2004, we started the Healthy Children Pantry Program to make it easier for parents to get healthy food by having pantries at their children’s schools. It was a simple but powerful innovation: By bringing food to busy families in a location they already visit daily, we’ve been able to serve more families than ever before. Now with 58 pantries, parents and guardians throughout San Francisco and Marin can take home healthy groceries once a week when they pick up or drop off their children without having to make any extra stops.

Lilian is one mom who greatly appreciates the Paul Revere pantry. She works full-time cleaning houses and her husband works full-time in construction. With two young children, they struggle to keep up with the rising costs of the city. Finding time to get food is an additional challenge. Some of these time and budget constraints are reduced by having the pantry located at their children’s school. “It’s so convenient. I am so thankful to the Food Bank and their supporters for helping to keep our family healthy,” said Lillian.

Food for Brain Power

Although the Healthy Children’s Pantry has been very successful in helping fight hunger, we don’t stop there. Time after time, principals and teachers tell us the same thing: kids can’t learn when they’re hungry. That’s why we started the Morning Snack Program back in the early 2000s. Through this first-of-its-kind program, 21 high-need public schools throughout San Francisco and Marin receive daily deliveries of healthy snack items such as fresh fruits, whole grain crackers, and string cheese.

Many low-income children don’t eat enough food outside of school to support their growing bodies and minds. Snacks give students a healthy boost mid-morning when they need it most. Teachers report morning snacks give students additional energy to learn and to stay focused during the school day. Over 4,800 kids a day can start school with nutritious food that helps keep hunger at bay and learning in the forefront.

Cousins Estrellia and Luz, students at Paul Revere, are budding math geniuses powered by morning snack. Addition and subtraction are no challenge for this dynamic duo. Every day, between breakfast and lunch, the girls look forward to enjoying a healthy snack. Estrellia loves apples the most while Luz prefers kiwi. They are grateful to the Foodbank for these snacks, “Thank you for the good food. It helps us learn.”

New Pantries Open to Serve Even More Neighborhoods

February 5, 2020

In the last couple of months, we’ve opened two pantries expanding our San Francisco Neighborhood Grocery Network.

Finding a new pantry partner is not always an easy task. Ask Ashley Wong, one of our Pantry coordinators, “A potential pantry partner needs to have a lead volunteer coordinator and a consistent volunteer team that can dedicate hours of their schedule every week to support the pantry–and that’s a lot to ask.” It’s not only a time investment and physical commitment (those bags of potatoes are heavy!), but also an emotional one because creating a supportive pantry with excellent welcoming service, although rewarding, can also be heartbreaking. Ashley added, “We also need a pantry that is inclusive to people of all abilities. To meet that critical need, we require locations that have sizable storage space and, importantly, easy, safe access for all the pantry participants and volunteers.”

The Father’s House Pantry

We typically find pantry partners through outreach to community organizations, some of which are introduced to us by one of our existing partners. That’s how Ashley connected with one of our latest partner, The Father’s House in the Outer Sunset/Lake Merced area. The organization’s team was looking for ways to further serve their community and was reaching out to its partners. We connected and three months later, last December, they opened the doors to a new pantry.

“This pantry has steadily grown due to the continuing outreach in the community and the Father’s House team’s commitment to providing great customer service to everyone who comes by. Their endless dedication and energy continue to awe me. I look forward to the many years of partnership ahead of us,” said Ashley.

The Father’s House pantry is open Thursdays from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm and is located at 269 Herbst Road at the Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center. All San Francisco residents in need of food assistance are welcome to enroll in this pantry. We ask only that they bring a photo ID with a current residential address, or photo ID and a piece of mail with a current residential address.

Serving the Richmond Neighborhood

In early January, we also opened a pantry in San Francisco’s Richmond neighborhood. With more than 19,500 Richmond District residents at high risk of food insecurity—nearly 25% of the entire population of the neighborhood—we’re trying hard to close this hunger gap by looking for potential pantry partners. This time a long-time ally stepped up and is now in charge of three pantries in the neighborhood. “With the help of our dedicated community partners, Richmond Neighborhood Center, and our host, George Peabody Elementary School, we’re excited that we can expand our services in the Richmond neighborhood,” said Gary Lau, Program coordinator.

 

 

Celebrating One Million Pound Food Delivery to College Pantries

December 4, 2019

In early November, we hit a milestone of having delivered 1,000,000 pounds of food to pantries at local colleges serving students in need. We celebrated this landmark with a large cake, speeches and a band at San Francisco State University in partnership with Gator Groceries. Every week, the Food Bank serves nearly 1,000 hungry students at five college pantries through partnerships at San Francisco State University, College of Marin, UCSF Parnassus, Dominican University and City College of San Francisco.

Removing obstacles and lower the stigma

The pantries provide food to low-come students who struggle to balance the high costs of education with basic living needs, such as housing and transportation. Eligible students can get free fresh produce and other groceries every week. “By providing food directly on campus, the Food Bank makes it easy for students to pick up food and get back to the hard work of pursuing their education,” said Paul Ash, Executive Director of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank.

Gator Groceries, a direct response to SFSU students facing food insecurity, provides a weekly pantry and emergency meals and snack twice weekly. “At Gator Groceries, we wanted to lower the stigma and find easy avenues for students to get help,” said Horace Montgomery, Interim Executive Director and founder of the Food Pantry program at SFSU.”

Stretching the food budget

David, a computer science major and a junior at SFSU, is genuinely appreciative of having access to fresh and nutritious food. David works hard at school and in his college community, where he’s a student government board director representing the School of Science and Engineering at SFSU. “A friend told me about the pantry when I was a freshman.”

David lives off-campus, and after paying rent each month, he doesn’t have much money left for food. The pantry helps stretch his food budget. “I love to cook, especially with the fresh vegetables that the pantry provides. My favorites are spaghetti squash and potatoes because they’re both easy to cook and make a warm filling meal.” David wants other students to know how helpful the pantry has been, that is one of the best places on campus and to not be embarrassed if they need help. “The Bay Area has a high cost of living, and many of us need help to live here, there’s no shame in that.” said David.

State Funds Needed for Emergency Food

December 4, 2019

When disaster strikes our communities, our low-income neighbors shoulder the harshest burdens. Disasters have become the new normal across California, and the Food Bank has consistently stepped up to provide vital assistance to communities in need. We were there to help support victims displaced by the Camp Fire, and set up special distributions for Coast Guard families who had been furloughed during the Government Shutdown in January.

Whether disasters are natural (wildfires or earthquakes) or man-made (recent federal shutdown or power outages), we’re on the front lines long after the disaster ends, working to keep Californians well-fed once the smoke clears and the lights come back on.

State support would strengthen food bank disaster response

To date, food banks have stepped up to serve critical food needs with no dedicated state support. In next year’s State Budget, we’re requesting $32 million in one-time funding to improve the disaster resiliency of the state’s emergency food network. This funding will make a critical difference in our ability to respond to disasters, allowing food banks to purchase emergency equipment. This equipment includes back-up generators, fuel tanks, satellite phones and other one-time purchases that build the long-term resilience network to feed people through crises.

Tell Governor Newsom to support food banks

The Governor will release his proposed budget on January 10th. Reach out and ask him to include $32 million to help food banks statewide be better equipped to respond to future disasters: https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/

Food Bank Opposes Latest Cuts to Food Stamps

December 4, 2019

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Opposes Federal Rule Change that Will Take Food from ~755,000 Americans

Today, the United States Department of Agriculture finalized a rule change that will result in significant cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly food stamps and known as CalFresh in California). SNAP is a vital anti-hunger safety net, helping low-income residents make ends meet in high-cost areas like San Francisco and Marin. Currently, over 64,000 San Francisco residents and nearly 10,000 Marin residents receive monthly SNAP/CalFresh nutrition benefits to help meet their basic food needs. This rule change jeopardizes the health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable neighbors by imposing arbitrary and harmful time limitations on nutrition assistance. Simply put, this rule change will result in some 755,000 people losing SNAP benefits, exacerbating hunger across our state and throughout our communities.

Rule Targets People Unable to Secure Sufficient Employment

This change will punish workers who are struggling to find steady employment by taking away their food assistance, which won’t help them find a better job or find work faster. Imagine your last job search.  Now imagine doing it on an empty stomach and no idea how you will pay for your next meal. It harms vulnerable people by denying them food benefits at a time when they most need it, and it does not result in increased employment and earnings. The people targeted by this change already face multiple barriers to work, including limited access to adequate transportation and affordable housing, criminal records that impact job eligibility, and undiagnosed physical and mental illnesses.

Food Bank Remains Steadfast in Commitment to Provide Food for All

The publication of this rule comes despite the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which had strong bipartisan support and explicitly rejected these cuts to the SNAP program. The Administration’s publication of this rule goes against Congressional intent, our mission as a food bank, and our shared belief that no one deserves to go hungry in America. The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank remains committed to working to end hunger in our service area.

While published today, the rule is not yet in effect and is pending a 60-day waiting period. The rules, however, have not changed – and individuals impacted should continue using benefits as usual. We urge CalFresh clients and community members who are concerned about the impact of this change to call our CalFresh hotline at 415-767-5220 or visit sfmfoodbank.org.

 

 

Donna’s Story | Thanksgiving Won’t Be The Same

November 4, 2019

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a time to spend time with our family and friends and share a wonderful meal filled with gratitude. For Donna, this also when she looks forward to making a delicious feast for her family at her Visitacion Valley home. But this year, Donna didn’t think a celebratory Thanksgiving was looking promising due to a series of heartbreaking events that also left Donna in financial straits.

A DIFFICULT YEAR

Last winter, Donna’s eldest son died in a tragic accident, followed four months later by the death of her husband of 53 years, after a long illness. Donna is also not well and struggles with a rare lung disease, all while caring for her youngest son, Maurice. Maurice is on permanent disability resulting from a traumatic brain injury caused by a car crash last year. “It’s been a difficult year, for sure,” she says, fighting back her tears.

Although Donna is coping with these family tragedies and trying to squeak by on her husband’s pension, she’s experiencing the financial pain of San Francisco’s high and rising cost of living. This has made meeting daily needs much harder, and providing a nurturing Thanksgiving meal harder yet.

THE PANTRY VISIT – MORE THAN FOOD

A bright spot in her week is her Friday visit to get fresh fruits and vegetables at the food pantry at the Visitacion Valley Family Center on Raymond Street. “I really can do a lot with carrots, potatoes, and onions… sometimes I’ll stir fry them, sometimes I bake them,” she says. “The nice part is knowing that the veggies and fruits help keep me and Maurice happy while we deal with our medical issues.”

Her visit also provides an opportunity to chat with the friendly and empathetic volunteers who lend a listening ear and warm support. This year Donna will be able to get some of the food she needs to cook a holiday meal and have a quiet Thanksgiving with her son. Despite the upheaval in her life, she’s very thankful for the food on her table and the loving respite that the day will bring.

To support our pantries and make sure that no one has to go hungry this thanksgiving, please donate here. 

A Thanksgiving Tradition – Food and Caring

November 4, 2019

How do you make Thanksgiving special for the people you care about? Here at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, preparation for the holiday season begins as early as July to bring much-needed health and comfort to participants and their families.  

32,000 FAMILIES

We have a long-standing tradition of making sure that every person in need takes home a whole chicken and a variety of holiday trimmings when they visit their neighborhood pantry the week of Thanksgiving. It takes a lot of planning, coordination, and support to make it all happen, but it’s a commitment we love.  

 Angela Wirch, Director of Food Sourcing and Allocation says, “Our biggest Thanksgiving items are whole chickens. We have 32,000 families we need to serve to create a special holiday meal.” Angela and her team get to work as early as July securing holiday favorites that are donated from local farms and manufacturers, and purchasing the rest with donations from supporters like you.   

ALL HANDS ON DECK TO PROVIDE THANKSGIVING MEALS  

Fulfilling this holiday commitment takes a community. Each November, volunteers pack and sort ingredients for thousands of holiday meals. Warehouse workers load and unload thousands of pallets to make sure the food is stored safely. Truck drivers carefully navigate tight city streets to deliver the food on time. Agency partners coordinate efforts to distribute the food to people throughout San Francisco and Marin. Many of our agency partners cook large- Thanksgiving meals with turkeys and holiday favorites that they buy at a discounted price from our shop floor.  

Vicky, lives in supportive housing in San Francisco, and she loves getting a whole chicken from the Food Bank for Thanksgiving.  

“Sometimes I roast it, but sometimes I make a curry or fry it,” Vicky says. “I like the cranberries too, and I’ll steam the sweet potatoes. My family gets together for a nice Thanksgiving lunch, and we talk about what we are grateful for.”  

Linda’s Story | The Food Pharmacy Offered a Healthier Life

November 4, 2019

Having healthy food to share with our community doesn’t mean much if people can’t get to it. That’s the idea behind one of our many recent innovations. We work hard to find the best ways to safely transport nutritious foods to people in convenient locations where they don’t have to go out of their way. One of the ways we do that is through our Food Pharmacies. 

FOOD IS MEDICINE

Since 2016, we’ve been working with local physicians and health clinics to run our Food Pharmacies. This program helps connect patients — who already see their doctor at these clinics — with free groceries, nutrition education, and CalFresh enrollment (food stamps), as well as classes on healthy food preparation.  

Alicia Hobbs organizes the program at our Silver Avenue site; she emphasizes that food can be medicine, especially for 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.”  

A HEALTHIER LIFE FOR LINDA 

Linda’s health improved significantly since she linked up with a San Francisco-Marin Food Pharmacy. Fifteen years ago, a car crash changed her life forever when both of her ankles were shattered, and her wrist fractured. The damage to her ankles meant she could no longer walk long distances or even stand on her feet for a few minutes at a time. Even after months of physical therapy, she had to retire early from her job at a local bank. Without income from her job, Linda has to live on only a few hundred dollars in SSI funds every month.  

Linda’s doctor suggested she get involved in the Food Bank’s Food Pharmacy program at SouthEast Health Clinic in the Bayview neighborhood. Ever since, she’s had free access to healthy fruits and vegetables as well as health education. Through the program, she learned new ways to prepare certain foods — such as steaming carrots and broccoli to keep more of vitamins intact.  

As a result of her program participation, Linda has lost weight and dropped her blood pressure, “My health hasn’t been this good in years,” she says, and I owe it to those at SouthEast, and the good people at the Food Bank.” 

Rapid Response in Times of Emergencies

November 1, 2019

We usually operate at a fast clip to fulfill the great need for food in San Francisco and Marin. When an emergency hits the greater Bay Area, we step into rapid response high gear like we did during the Kincade Fire and PG&E power outages that affected hundreds of thousands of our neighbors.

Our strong relationships with sister food banks such as the Redwood Empire Food Bank allows us to respond quickly when disaster impedes their ability to provide food. As Paul Ash, our executive director, said, “Our loading dock is your loading dock.” Such was the case during the Kincade Fire when they too had to evacuate. During the fire and outages, and afterward, we were asked to store truckloads of water and food for them. When needed, we’ll also deliver it.

Food Delivery

As members of the Marin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), we were on calls as early as Sunday morning. When the fire was in full force with evacuees heading to Marin for safety, we rapidly responded to deliver food. During the week we have packed fruit, snacks, peanut butter, canned meat, crackers, and 100% fruit juice for over 1,800 people housed at evacuation centers, churches, and other places like Lawson’s Landing campground.

The PG&E power outages also compounded food shortages when people’s food spoiled or they weren’t able to cook it. Several of our pantries were without power, as well. To help, we pre-bagged the food, like care packages, filled with shelf-safe protein and other food. We set up three pop-up pantries at PG&E community resource centers in Marin and got the word out via social media.

Emergency Pop-up Pantries

Jillian Tse, a senior program coordinator, was on the ground in Marin City. “We offered peanut butter, canned meat, crackers, fruit cups, soups, and produce. People were very appreciative. Many people said that they had lost their food due to power cuts. Many took extra groceries for neighbors that couldn’t make it. At the end of the day, we had some food left and share it with close-by community partners.” Over a four day period, we increased our delivery to Marin County by 10,000 lbs.

We don’t stop responding once the fires are out and the power is back on. We’ll continue to support evacuation centers across Marin with deliveries and any calls for help by our sister food banks, as long as it’s needed. We know that some people and families continue to need our support, and we’re in it to help for the long run.

If you want to support our disaster relief, donate here.