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yuiyoshida

(41,759 posts)
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 12:58 PM Jun 2016

Insecurity In The City Of Food: How San Francisco Feeds Its Homeless



San Francisco is a city in love with food. Known for some of the best restaurants in the country, we pride ourselves on influencing how the rest of the world eats. Frequently lost in that discussion, however, are those that not only can't afford to patronize whatever hip new spot has received the latest raves, but who struggle just to find basic sustenance each day. Whether they be homeless, or just temporarily down on their luck, there are a large number of San Franciscans who have come to depend on a host of organizations, both city-run and private, providing healthy and free meals to those who might otherwise go without. And just like many of our locally sourced and sustainable restaurants, these groups have a very Bay-Area ethos that profoundly impacts the way they operate — and the leftovers of our thriving restaurant community actually play a big part in feeding the less fortunate every day.


That the number of homeless on the streets of San Francisco has remained mostly constant at roughly 6,000-7,000 over the past decade (though there are arguments over that semi-official number) belies the scale and severity of the problem of food insecurity in the City by the Bay. In 2013, a report generated by the San Francisco Food Security Task Force documented just how many of our residents go without the minimum daily requirements for food. The report defines food insecurity as "whenever the ability to acquire enough nutritious food is limited or uncertain," and notes that a chronic shortage of food can lead to a whole host of health problems.

"Food insecurity is associated with adverse health outcomes including increased stress and depression, incomplete viral suppression among HIV-positive urban poor, higher rates of hospitalization, and acute care utilization," the report explains. "It is a risk factor for chronic diseases and clinically significant hypoglycemia, and is a barrier to diabetes self-management."
Those impacted are as diverse as San Francisco itself, and include seniors, children, parents, and veterans (to name only a few groups). According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, just shy of 51,000 San Franciscans use CalFresh, the modern incarnation of food stamps, but that count under represents the number of residents who are eligible. Indeed, with CalFresh providing as little as $16 a month to some recipients, it appears that many people rely on a patchwork of private organizations to secure the food they need.


One such service, Food Runners, was started in 1987 by Tante Marie's Cooking School founder Mary Risley as a way to get excess food, both prepared and raw, from restaurants and venues around the city into the hands of the needy. Almost 30 years later, the organization collects and delivers close to 15 tons of food per week — food that would otherwise end up in the compost bin.

L'Ann Bingham, Community Liaison Representative for the non-profit, told SFist that her organization picks up from tech companies, AT&T Park, Kaiser Hospital, bakeries, and various caterers. They don't store any food, they just pick up and drop off. "We pick up very high quality food," she explained. "It's an easy thing [for donors] to do — we make it easy."

http://sfist.com/2016/06/29/food_insecurity_in_the_city_of_food.php
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Insecurity In The City Of Food: How San Francisco Feeds Its Homeless (Original Post) yuiyoshida Jun 2016 OP
k and r. niyad Jun 2016 #1

niyad

(112,432 posts)
1. k and r.
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 01:20 PM
Jun 2016

there are a number of dedicated organizations in the city where I live, but nothing like SF.

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