Category: Stories

Jacques Story | A Changing Economy Makes It Harder To Make Ends Meet

June 8, 2019

Each morning, Jacques rises early, gets ready for the day, and takes his 10-year-old daughter, Shaila, to school. As a single dad, Jacques cares for Shaila and his 80-year-old mother.  Mondays are especially busy, but in a good way.  When Jacques drops off Shaila at Dolores Huerta Elementary School, she heads for her classroom and her father heads for the Food Bank’s Health Children pantry near the campus play yard.

“If I open up the fridge on a Sunday and nothing is in there, then I have to make sure to put something in there,” he says.

It didn’t use to be like this.  Jacques was a mortgage broker until the 2008 recession made it hard to find work in real estate.  He now drives for a ridesharing company in addition to juggling several other jobs to make ends meet.  “I’ve been [in San Francisco] for a while, and I’ve never seen poverty like I’ve seen in the past couple of years,” says Jacques.

KEEPING FAMILY AT THE CENTER

Shaila is a bright girl, at the top of her class, and Jacques wants to ensure that she has no limits to her future ambitions — which currently range from being a pop star to a police officer to a vet. Once Shaila is at school, Jacques starts driving for the ridesharing company until it’s time to pick her up. He then takes her home to her grandmother while he heads out for more driving until dinner, a special time that Jacques never misses. It’s a central part of their family’s routine; a time to share about their day, a time to connect and enjoy a nutritious meal.  “I ask her about her day, and try to be present as a father because that’s so important,” he says. Often, he has to go back out for more driving after his daughter goes to bed.

STRUGGLING IN A HIGH-COST CITY

As he drives, Jacques thinks about how to provide for his family, and what they will have to eat for the next day and week. The weight of his role as the sole earner is heavy in a costly city like San Francisco.  Jacques and his mother plan out their meals for the week, usually starting on Monday when he comes home with a big box of groceries from the pantry. “This pantry has been great,” he says. “It’s been a life saver and eye opener. I needed it because food is so expensive.”  For Jacques and his family, the groceries they receive from the Food Bank help to fill the gap as he works hard to make ends meet. He says, “Thank you for taking care of me and so many people like me who are really trying to do the right thing but who are having a hard time making it.”

Blanca’s Story | SF Survival

June 6, 2019

Monday mornings have a reputation for being kind of a drag.  Many of us rush around in an effort to get the work week – or school week – off to a good start, and things can sometimes get hectic.

Food Bank participant Blanca certainly does her fair share of rushing around, getting her kids off to three different schools in San Francisco’s Glen Park neighborhood. But Monday has become a day she enjoys because after dropping off her daughter at Dolores Huerta Elementary School, Blanca heads straight for our weekly food pantry, located right on campus near the school’s playground.

“My oldest eats a lot – he’s 6 feet tall – so it’s hard to keep him happy and full,” Blanca says. “The other kids are big eaters too.  But we manage, partly because of the groceries we get here every week.”

Blanca is a stay-at-home mom for now.  Her husband is a painter and makes what she describes as a decent wage – but not necessarily enough to get by in San Francisco. Some months are harder than others, but Blanca’s family always seems to get by with a little help from the Food Bank.

“Oh my goodness!  It’s not even a joke how hard it is to survive in this city right now,” she exclaims. “There is enough food here every week to provide several days worth of meals, allowing us to save our money to pay for other things that are important, like clothes and medicine.”

As Blanca walks through the pantry, she finds several items that she likes and puts them in her bag.  As she holds up a package of fresh asparagus, she explains, “We bake this in the oven so they stay crunchy. We also really like the potatoes; we turn those into baked potatoes and fried potatoes.”

Blanca is certain that her family, and many more in the neighborhood, would suffer greatly if it weren’t for the Monday morning pantry offerings.  “Thank you for helping all low-income families in this neighborhood and this city…it really does make a difference.”

 

Ana’s Story | For The Children

February 21, 2019

The early morning sun was just starting to shine through the windows of the multipurpose room at Daniel Webster Elementary School in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood, but that couldn’t hide the smile on Ana’s face. The mother of two was picking up groceries at the Food Bank’s weekly Healthy Children Pantry at her daughter’s school when she came upon something she didn’t quite expect.

“Take a look at this honey – there’s fish today!” she said to her youngest daughter, 4-year-old Genesis. “Yes, fish! Bring it on!”

Ana has been coming to the pantry at Daniel Webster since her 7-year-old older Xochitl was in kindergarten – not out of choice, but out of necessity. “Especially living in a place like San Francisco with high rent, sometimes it’s like ‘if we pay rent we don’t eat’ … and unfortunately, that shouldn’t be that way. But that’s how things are right now.”

WORKING LONG HOURS

Not being able to get ahead isn’t for a lack of trying.  Ana’s husband puts in long hours as a construction worker. She’s working hard too, volunteering at the school in the mornings before heading off to her full-time nonprofit job, then returning to school to get her girls. She spends many evenings volunteering with the school’s PTA and ELAC – English Learners Advisory Committee.  “I do it all because I don’t care about just my children, but all children in the school and the district,” Ana says.

SAVING FOR KIDS’ EDUCATION

She hopes for a day when rents aren’t so high in the city, allowing all families to thrive.  Until then, she’s glad for the little things, like finding fresh fish at our Healthy Children Pantry and fresh fruits that make her young daughters smile when they bite into them.  To her, it’s about making sure her kids live a better life than hers.

“This pantry helps us save money, especially with the housing crisis. I mean look at this milk,” she says, pointing to the gallon she’ll take home today. “It would probably cost $6, and the fish would probably cost about $20.  We know this all adds up every month to big savings that I hope I can use for a healthier future for my kids.”

Camp Fire Relief | Bay Area Food Assistance Continues

January 28, 2019

“I got up that morning at 8:30 and looked outside and it was pitch black,” said Jean Bauman, a retiree who lived in Paradise, California. “I went back into the bedroom and I said to my husband Jim, ‘You’ve got to get out of bed.'”

At first, Jim and Jean were hoping the Camp Fire would be contained before reaching their small home. What they didn’t know was that the raging inferno was devouring an entire football field of land every second.

IT WAS TOO LATE

An hour later, fiery chunks of debris were pelting the couple’s home. When it was all over, they were left with nothing but their brick chimney and charred sludge and debris. “We lost fifty years of everything in that house,” Jean said. “It’s numbing.” The couple is now navigating insurance to begin rebuilding their house and their lives.

Help has arrived in the form of weekly food distributions, bolstered by weekly deliveries from Bay Area food banks that have been providing tons (literally) of fresh groceries every week.

“We had a suspicion that once things settled down in Paradise, that the community was going to need some food assistance,” said Barbara Abbott, Food Resources Director at the Food Bank.  “The call eventually came in December, and we have been sending full truckloads of fresh produce, protein, beverages and snacks ever since.”

THANKFUL FOR FULL BELLIES

The food assistance is starting to make a difference, helping people like Martin and Ashley feed themselves, as well as their two young children, Lilliana and Rylee.

Martin moved his family from Kansas to Paradise to help with his ailing mother after she recently suffered a stroke. And while the family didn’t lose any property in the fire, they did lose stability. Martin was due to start a logging job the day the Camp Fire started. Logging jobs have since dried up and now the family finds itself visiting the food distribution site in nearby Chico to help provide nourishment until things get better.

“The food got us through,” Ashley said. “It’s been filling in the gaps.”

While Martin hasn’t found a job yet, he’s still searching every day and he’s confident he’ll find something soon.   “It’s a lot easier to go to sleep and focus on finding a job when you know your kids aren’t hungry,” he said. “We’re thankful for having full bellies.”

Tackling College Hunger | Annie’s Story

December 20, 2018

Some college students talk about the “Freshman 15,” and gaining weight when starting school. But for other students, the financial burden of tuition and books often means going hungry.  In fact, the US Government Accountability Office released a report recently that quantifies how large a problem college hunger has become.

Annie is one such student who struggles to feed herself many weeks out of the year. She’s studying at UCSF for a health care career and utilizes the Food Bank’s campus pantry. “The market has revolutionized my routine,” says Annie. “I exclusively get my food here. I’m eating healthier and wouldn’t be getting my fruits and veggies otherwise.

“Food insecurity is very real if you don’t come from a family that can provide you with a weekly stipend. Having all this debt, you’re kind of in crisis mode all the time. Many students only eat one meal a day. You can’t study; you’re stressed out all the time; and it has traumatic effects on your body.

“I am undyingly grateful to the Food Bank donors. Because of your generosity, I’m able to eat healthier, take care of myself, and give back by caring for patients. Thank you for investing in my health, so I can invest in the health of others.”

Food Bank Partners | Family House

October 31, 2018

When Felicita Diaz first arrived at Family House in San Francisco, the last thing she was thinking about was food.  She had just admitted her daughter to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, where she was being treated for a serious and rare autoimmune disease.

It had been long day, and truth be told, Felicita didn’t even know she was hungry. But when she walked into the community kitchen at Family House, she found it stocked with canned food, boxes of pasta, and fresh fruit, too – everything she needed to put together a nourishing meal.

Family House is one of 450 nonprofits that the Food Bank partners with to provide food for instances just like this – when neighbors are facing a life crisis and need a helping hand. Based near the hospital’s Mission Bay campus, Family House is a state-of-the-art home away from home that provides free housing and support to families whose children are undergoing medical care.

“I was so caught up with all the things I needed to do to help my daughter that I forgot to feed myself,” Felicita says. “I walked into the kitchen, opened up the cupboard, and found everything I needed to make myself a nice meal of rice and beans. Having this food on hand is so helpful. It gives me a little extra time to concentrate on my daughter instead of shopping.”

Paul Goold, Director of Family Services, keeps the Family House kitchens stocked with groceries that he picks up from the Food Bank warehouse, just a few blocks away.

“The Food Bank has been an incredible partner to Family House,” Goold says. “Nonprofits in our community achieve the most when we collaborate. The Food Bank partnership with us is a perfect example of that – we are able to provide a full range of services that sustain our families so they can care for their children.”

 

 

Mike’s Story | From Homeless to Hopeful | VIDEO

October 25, 2018

Mike is a volunteer and former participant at our Food Bank pantry on Treasure Island. He credits the Food Bank and his relationships at the pantry for helping him transform his life – watch the video below and see how Mike has overcome homelessness, found work, and is now building hope for the future.

 

 

Toby’s Story | Not Our Forever Situation

October 20, 2018

When you think of Tiburon, you probably think of multi-million dollar homes and gorgeous views from this bayside Marin County town. Or perhaps what comes to mind are chic cafes and boutique shops that dot the quaint streets as luxury cars pass by. What you probably don’t think about is the very real hunger problem that exists in this wealthy enclave just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Nestled about halfway between Highway 101 and Tiburon’s tony downtown is the Hilarita Apartment complex, one of several subsidized housing facilities in the area. It is home to about 100 families, including 25-year-old Toby and his mom. After graduating from the College of Marin with a degree in chemistry, Toby moved back home to help his ailing mother while he looks for his first “real job.”

Toby’s mother has a chronic hip problem, and for now, the two are living on her disability and social security benefits. After paying rent, there isn’t much money left to spend, even for essentials like food. Toby was “blown away” when he learned that the Food Bank was opening a food pantry at Hilarita this past spring, and says it has really saved him and his mom, at an especially vulnerable time.

“The pantry helps out a lot, because I’m still looking for work. So there’s the financial issue,” Toby says. “Eventually I’m going to get a job – hopefully something in biotech – so this isn’t our forever situation. But until then, every little bit helps. To some people, the money we save on groceries might seem insignificant, but for me and my mom, it makes a big difference.”

Since April of 2018, more than 30 families like Toby’s are able to pick up fresh groceries at the Hilarita pantry every week – fresh vegetables and fruits, protein like chicken drumsticks, and grains. These items help stretch dollars so residents can pay their rent, PG&E bills and buy medicine.

“The food pantry also helps us to stay in touch with the community. I like to see my neighbors – some of them anyway,” Toby says with a laugh. “Tuesday is a day to come down here to say hello, to check in with everybody. We see how they’re doing and then head home with fresh food for the week.”

As an added bonus, they pantry has encouraged Toby to make healthier food choices too:  “I actually started eating carrots again because of this place” he says.  “I used to eat them as a boy, so I grabbed some the other day, and now I’m back to eating carrots all the time as snacks.”

Hilarita residents, many of whom are low income, have been asking about a pantry for more than two years, but issues with the property managers made collaborating with the site difficult. Then the nonprofit ‘EAH Housing’ took over and committed to making the pantry a reality. “It took some extra perseverance,” says Food Bank pantry liaison Edith Cadena, “but when we finally opened up our doors it was real source of pride, not just for myself, but other food bankers, and especially the residents.”

Nourishing the Community through Namaste

October 17, 2018

It’s a cool evening in San Francisco’s Crocker-Amazon neighborhood, with a healthy layer of the city’s ubiquitous fog blanketing the sky above – but it’s a much different story down below, where a certain warmth glows from Tony Garcia’s home yoga studio.  It’s here where the muscular. mustachioed man in his 50s says he does his best work.

“I got into yoga several years ago as a way to center myself.  I enjoyed it so much that I decided to become a certified instructor so I could spread the goodness to friends and family,” he says.

Tony and his wife Rachel went so far as to convert the downstairs section of their home into a full-blown yoga studio – complete with bamboo flooring, rubber mats, and special mood lighting.  Soon after, they started hosting bi-monthly sessions.

“We invited family members and neighbors to give it a try.  It was slow going at first, but the idea eventually caught on,” says Tony.  “Now we see 5 to 10 people every other week.”

What also caught on was how the Garcias would use their newfound love of yoga to give back.  “I knew I wasn’t in it to make money … instead, I wanted this all to mean something more.”

That’s when Tony hearkened back to a volunteer shift he attended at the Food Bank as part of his employment with the City and County of San Francisco. “It was a while ago, but I remember being so impressed with the operation…about how much work goes into feeding people in this city who don’t have enough food to be healthy,” he recalls.  “And I thought that THIS was the time that I could do more to help.”

The Garcias decided to ask their “students” to give whatever they felt the lesson was worth, with all of the proceeds making their way into a special teapot that sits in the yoga studio.  Then, every few weeks when the teapot gets full, Tony or Rachel donate it to the Food Bank.

“That was about 7 years ago…and I’m happy to say that we have never wavered,” Tony says. “100-percent of all the money that’s been raised through my yoga classes has been used to help feed the less fortunate.”

Food Bank spokesperson Mark Seelig applauds the Garcias’ extraordinary efforts. “It goes to show you that there are more ways to be philanthropic than by just pulling out your checkbook or swiping your credit card.  The best part is that these funds all add up, and help us make a real difference in our mission to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin.”

Over the years, the Garcias have become way more savvy in their gift-giving.  “We now wait until the Food Bank offers some sort of corporate match to donate – so we can double the impact!”  They’re not finished just yet either.  Tony says he plans to keep doing this … “as long as my body holds out, and as long as we have friends and family who want to support the Food Bank in the most calming way possible!”

If you are giving to the Food Bank in a creative or unusual way, please leave us a comment.  And click here if you would like to make a generous donation to the Food Bank.

Sinat’s Story | Food for Health

August 23, 2018

When Sinat gave birth five years ago, her doctors found an inoperable benign brain tumor. Since then, she has not been able to work full-time. Between parenting her three young daughters, her chemo treatments, and her headaches, finding a job that would accommodate her needs has been next to impossible.

Food Pantry Helps 

As a way to help make ends meet, Sinat temps part-time. But it’s not enough for her family, and she and her husband depend on the food they receive at the Tenderloin Community School pantry to make ends meet.  “With everything going on, healthy food is really important,” says Sinat. “We stay away from junk food, and vegetables are so necessary for the kids, so they stay healthy and energetic.”

Grandparents Pitch In

Sinat’s mom also goes to a Food Bank pantry nearby. Her parents emigrated with Sinat as refugees from war-torn Cambodia. When Sinat is temping, her parents watch her daughters and cook Cambodian food. “They love the vegetables and rice,” she says. “And because of the help we get at the pantry, we are able to afford meat at the grocery store.”

In San Francisco to Stay

Every day, her parents’ health declines from injuries and PTSD from their experiences in Cambodia. Sinat struggles to take care of them while she manages her brain tumor, which causes constant headaches and double vision. Her family has tried to leave the city to lower their housing costs, but that raised other challenges.

“My parents are in San Francisco, and they help us save money on childcare,” says Sinat. “We also have roots. I grew up here and see so many families I know at the food pantry. There, it doesn’t matter your race or where you are from, we are all in the same boat and just need food for our kids.”

“I’m grateful to donors at the Food Bank,” says Sinat. “What you are giving is helping out a lot of families like mine who wouldn’t make it in this city. It’s helping my daughters to grow up to be happy and do what they want in the future and not have to struggle like I do. Thank you.”

If you would like to help out a family like Sinat’s, consider a donation to the Food Bank today.