‘Meals is a human proper,’ so why achieve this many in San Francisco go with out?

California feeds much of the country. But many families in San Francisco don’t know if they can put food on the table every evening.

Even before COVID-19, almost one in four residents was at risk of food insecurity, according to city data from the Ministry of Health, a situation defined as the lack of consistent access to adequate food for all members of a household in order to live healthy lives.

The struggle of many of these families, typically colored, low-income households, has long gone largely unnoticed by the general public. But that changed after the on-site placement mandate, when the plight of San Francisco’s most vulnerable could no longer be ignored.

Newly unemployed residents stood in queues of grocery banks winding around city blocks, seniors were afraid to leave their homes, and panic caused a rush to grocery stores leaving shelves empty.

“The pandemic has increased the need for food resources in our community,” said Susie Smith, assistant policy director for the Human Services Agency. “It has Disproportionality around BIPOC and low-income communities and of course the pandemic that has been brought to light Disproportionality in all of our systems. “

Hunger no longer makes the same headlines. Some of the emergency resources to contain the acute crisis will soon run out. Those who have spent most of the last year feeding San Francisco’s families warn that giving up now could have dire consequences.

“People said that we will return to normal on June 15th. Don’t believe that, ”said Roberto Hernandez, founder of Mission Food Hub, an organization that emerged from the pandemic to help the hard-hit neighborhood. “Most of our members have no jobs, they haven’t been recalled and many of them are still in debt.”

The San Francisco Marin Food Bank is the Bay Area’s largest food retailer. It handed out 80 million pounds of food last year, almost twice as much as the year before. Like any other social organization, it had to completely change the way it reached the people it served.

Almost overnight, website searches for food sources rose about 400 percent, according to Executive Director Tanis Crosby. The food bank could no longer rely on its 325 market-like pantries, through which about 80 percent of its food was distributed.

It shifted to delivery and neighborhood pop-ups so people nearby could access groceries or not have to leave their homes. They teamed up with Cruise, an autonomous vehicle company, to deliver groceries.

According to Crosby, around 43 percent of the Food Bank’s distribution currently goes through community partners.

“We would not have considered this type of large-scale innovation before the pandemic,” she said.

Data from the Food Bank and HSA suggest that the number of people at risk of hunger has declined since its astronomical peak at the start of the pandemic, but remains stubborn.

It wasn’t until April 2021 that $ 19.6 million in food aid was distributed to San Franciscans, and the monthly food distribution continues to be well above pre-pandemic levels.

The auditor spoke to local officials and community officials about the upcoming challenge. They set out a vision for what they believe is needed to ensure that every family has access to healthy, dignified food that will prepare even the most vulnerable for longevity and well-being.

“There’s no shame in being part of a community network to get food because eating is a human right,” said Crosby. “It’s not about charity. It’s about justice. “

Work with community-based groups

First, the city should continue to develop its partnerships with community-based grassroots organizations. It used this tactic more easily during the pandemic than focusing primarily on city-wide operations.

These smaller groups are usually led by neighborhood guides who understand the ins and outs of their corner of town and are more likely to have relationships with hard-to-reach residents. They are also the places where many people have already sought help.

“We were just reminded that one size doesn’t fit all,” said Smith.

Support organizations that provide more than just food

With this in mind, neighborhood-based organizations that offer a wide range of services can be a valuable way for the city to tackle food insecurity, but also to get involved in other ways.

Take Mission Food Hub. It provides food to 7,000 households each week, many of which are Latinos. Members collect ingredients that they can use to feed their families with the same dishes they ate in childhood, such as masas, nopales, frijoles and queso fresco.

It was founded in May 2020 and also serves as a single point of contact for people struggling to cope with the pandemic. It connects residents with health care, unemployment benefits, and COVID-19 tests and vaccinations.

“We just don’t give away food,” said Hernandez. “This is a family we built and we built it out of love.”

Focus on healthy options

Proponents say that every neighborhood should have local grocery vendors whose shelves are stocked with a variety of healthy options.

The Healthy Corner Store Coalition is working with small business owners to achieve this goal. Part of the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, the program is funding a new cooling system and a complete overhaul of a business consultant’s premises and services. In return, the owner sells products and nutritious ready meals for at least three years.

It currently works with 10 stores in Tenderloin, Bayview and Oceanview.

“What we’ve found, and what should be obvious, is that people on low incomes actually want to eat healthy foods,” said John McCormick, who leads the program. He hopes the work will help dispel the myth that certain families would not choose healthier options if given a choice.

HCSC’s approach enables local traders and residents to make their own choices and take control of their own food systems, a result McCormick would like to see expanded across the city.

Involve legislators

Finally, the question arises of how politics can help alleviate the hunger crisis.

This inevitably requires government and local funding, and there is reason for hope.

The state budget for this fiscal year is $ 1 million each for Meals on Wheels and Mission Food Hub.

Here in San Francisco, The City is investing $ 46 million in food security programs.

Funding could also go towards broader expansion of social services.

“I think food insecurity and hunger in people’s households as a whole need to be put in context,” said Smith. “Part of the answer is, ‘How does the safety net support families?'”

CalFresh should also be expanded and made more accessible to those who need it. State Senator Scott Wiener said California has one of the lowest levels of nutritional supplement usage by eligible individuals.

He proposed a now-approved law allowing seniors and people with disabilities to access the application over the phone rather than in person.

Many proponents are pushing for the program to be expanded. More financial support would make it easier for people on lower incomes to take control of their health and nutrition and give them more options than the cheapest choices, McCormick said.

As the real effects of the pandemic materialize, those tasked with fighting hunger seem hopeful that the last year and a half will forever change what The City deems acceptable.

“I’m optimistic we won’t go back to what was normal before,” said Crosby. “We can do better as a community”

cgraf@sfexaminer.com

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