Category: Programs

CalFresh Ripple Effects: Miguel’s Story

June 14, 2023

Miguel's artwork hangs in front of his window: 3 black and white cubes made from Venetian blinds.
Miguel’s recent artwork

At Rosa Parks Pop-up Pantry, Miguel lights up when he starts talking about his art. He sets down his grocery bags and whips out his phone to show us his latest creation, hanging in front of his second story window: a mobile made entirely of syringes (with the needles removed, of course), that blows and gently spins in the breeze, while explaining: “I used to work for the opera, until I retired five years ago. I also made costumes for theatre groups, foundations and drag queens. I have a program going after I retired, [making] mobiles and artwork with the recycled materials I [find] on the street, thrown away.”  

A Loss for the Community 

Miguel is a longtime member of the arts scene in San Francisco, a gay man who’s been HIV+ for nearlyMiguel is smiling, with his handlebar mustache, red scarf/necktie and maroon sweater. 40 years, an activist, and a pantry participant since 2020 in his neighborhood of the Western Addition. He’s also one of roughly 101,000 CalFresh (known as SNAP federally) recipients in San Francisco who saw their grocery budget decimated overnight. This is due to the federal government’s decision to cut emergency allotments, which boosted CalFresh benefits by an average of $160 for recipients in San Francisco during the pandemic. That’s a loss of nearly $12 million a month in food assistance for our neighbors. 

“I applied for the [CalFresh] benefits at the beginning of COVID. I was having a hard time with money. And it was very nice, especially when they started putting the extra funds in it,” Miguel told us. Miguel says he was receiving close to $200 during the pandemic, but after speaking with a CalFresh representative that same morning we met, he learned he’d be receiving just $23. That’s why the Food Bank Policy & Advocacy team is advocating to raise the minimum benefit to $50 in the state Senate this year – because for Miguel and many others, “it’s not worth going through all the [paperwork] trouble for $20.” 

Meals are Best Shared 

Miguel poses in front of his artFor Miguel, his CalFresh benefits were a supplemental support that helped him stretch his budget and extend a little kindness to other friends who were struggling during the throes of the pandemic. “I was able not only to get things for myself, but I was able to invite friends to get food with me so we can have dinner together. I did it with two friends, maybe every two weeks. Eating alone is not really the best thing. Having company and being able to provide something a little extra, that was very nice. It really made a difference for me and my friends.” 

In addition to dinners with friends, Miguel finds support through groups like the 50 Plus Network from the SF AIDS Foundation, which connects long-term HIV survivors through meetups and events. Miguel and his current housemate also stop by the Rosa Parks Senior Center most days for lunch, and utilize the Food Bank’s weekly pantries, where Miguel picks up groceries for them both: “The sweet potatoes are for my roommate, because he can’t come to the pantry – he’s disabled. So [the pantry] not only helps me, it helps someone else.” 

A Positive Ripple Effect

As federal lawmakers strip proven poverty-fighting programs and safety nets from our neighbors, andMiguel waves goodbye from his apartment window. leave food banks to pick up the slack, it’s essential that the Food Bank maintains access to the fresh produce, proteins, and grains that 53,000 neighbors rely on weekly to nourish themselves. “The benefit is greater than just food,” Miguel explained to us. “At my age, I don’t think there’s any stigma – I encourage other people to apply for these services. I have diabetes, so I have to be careful about what I’m eating. And besides the food, I can use the money [I save] on other things that are beneficial for my health or enjoyment. It’s a ripple effect; it magnifies your life in all these positive ways.” 

Growing Food Sovereignty in the Bayview

May 24, 2023

Earth Day at Florence Fang Community Farm (FFCF) was a feast for the senses: blue skies and verdant greens offset by blooming wildflowers, the smell of soil, and the conversation of food pantry participants and farm volunteers mixing with bird calls and Chinese folk songs. 

Nestled in the heart of the Bayview, FFCF is a “community center, outdoors,” in the words of Director Ted Fang. In addition to cultivating the land, FFCF runs a farmer’s market-style food pantry that opens at 9 a.m. each Saturday to serve the community with fresh fruits, leafy green vegetables, and proteins, provided by the Food Bank. The farm also provides the harvests of the season to pantry participants! 

“A Community Center”  

As one of the most productive urban farms in the Bay Area, we’re not surprised to see swaths of volunteers showing up throughout the morning in response to FFCF’s call for an Earth Day volunteer workday. Many of the longtime volunteers arrived earlier in the day, some stopping to pick up groceries at FFCF’s food pantry, and others heading directly over to the farm to begin tending to the land.  Woman in face mask standing in front of garden plots

Some regular volunteers like Ms. Chang, who we met after picking up her groceries, have a multifaceted relationship with the farm. As a retiree, she first came to the farm in search of socialization and something to do with her free time. Since then, she’s brought her sister, daughter, and grandchildren into the fold: “I enjoy volunteering at the farm because it is a community center, but for growing food! I get my exercise through this endeavor, bring home delicious harvests, and have a lot of fun along the way. You’ll have to come visit us when we put on talent shows. We love to sing and dance.” 

Another of FFCF’s longtime volunteers, Mrs. Li, offers to take us on a tour of the farm. As we draw closer to the community plots, scattered groups of elders are hard at work watering, thinning out crops to provide adequate space for growth, and weeding the beds. True to Ms. Chang’s word, several women working on the same plot join in singing Chinese folk songs, their harmonies joyfully carrying across the farm. One volunteer is nonchalantly placing some of FFCF’s bees on the flowering pea shoots with his bare hands, so they can pollinate the crop. 

Unifying Roots  

FFCF was originally founded as a gathering space for Chinese immigrants moving into the Bayview neighborhood – a historically Black neighborhood in San Francisco. Over the years, it morphed into a space to serve the broader Bayview community. In 2020, it was renamed from the “Asian Community Garden” to “Florence Fang Community Farm” to reflect that intention, while honoring Ted’s mother and her history of civic contribution.  

Additionally, FFCF houses a Black Organic Farmers program, started by Bayview born and raised Farmer in Charge Faheem Carter. Through this model of self-directed organizing and programming of different Bayview communities, volunteers at FFCF cultivate crops native to their culture and heritage. As Ted says, “It’s important for everyone to be comfortable with the food they want to eat and have control over their food. Food sovereignty gives people control of their food, and that’s what we’re doing.” 

Food sovereignty is a radical shift for this neighborhood, as the Bayview has historically been subject to food apartheid due to racism, redlining, city neglect and disinvestment. That’s why the farm is such a critical resource for neighbors – and why the Food Bank is honored to support FFCF’s mission of bringing in even more healthy, fresh foods to the neighborhood via their food pantry.  

The Farm, Beyond Food 

The impacts of the farm go well beyond fresh vegetables to take home at the end of a workday. For many at FFCF, including many of the Chinese elders present at the Earth Day workday, volunteering has led to fruitful friendships. Some volunteers were even inspired to buy smartphones for the first time and download WeChat [a Chinese messaging app] to stay in touch after leaving the farm.  

Farming is networking: you put green onions in one plot, napa cabbage in the other, and the byproducts make the soil richer for the other crops, building networks of nutrients. And this is also reflective of communities above the ground. At its heart, this is the definition of community building. You might come to volunteer or harvest vegetables and end up also reaping the rewards of a thriving network of relationships.  

Like Mrs. Li explained to us of the abundant plant tong ho [chrysanthemum greens], “you’ll see it everywhere in the plots, because it keeps volunteering itself,” or self-seeding. In this same way, the volunteers who continue showing up, tending to the land, and making connections are creating their own abundance. 

Three Cheers for Partner Pantry Reopenings!

April 20, 2023

Join us in celebrating our partners at Florence Fang Community Farm in the Bayview, who reopened their farmer’s market-style pantry back in March! Neighbors and community members gathered for the ribbon cutting and filled their carts and bags to the brim with pears, cabbage, grapefruits, sweet potatoes and more. 

Reopening for the Community

While some pantry partners were able to continue operating during the pandemic by pre-bagging groceries, many more – including Florence Fang – were forced to shutter their operations. Now, our Programs team is focused on helping those partners open back up for their neighborhoods. 

As partners reopen, “we’re reaching out to neighbors [currently enrolled in Food Bank-run pantries] to let them know they have a choice to return to their neighborhood pantry,” said Tina Gonzales, Director of Community Partnerships at the Food Bank. “When a pantry reopens, it’s exciting for people who used to go there – that’s their community.” Plus, pantries run by our partners will help us scale back our large Food Bank-run sites (which opened during the pandemic to meet the increased need, and are nearly all at capacity), making them smaller and more manageable.  

Farmer’s Market-Style Transitions

Many Food Bank-run pantries are also transitioning from COVID-mandated pre-bagging to farmer’s market-style. This pantry model centers choice by encouraging folks to take what they want and pass on what they don’t, while reducing food waste and plastic bag use. It’s a win-win for creating a more equitable and sustainable food pantry! 

Perhaps most importantly, farmer’s market-style creates opportunities for connection with community. “Sometimes if we’re working with a nonprofit, that’s how they check in with their participants. It’s through farmer’s market distribution,” said Tina. “They’ll start talking about the food and then learn, ‘I need to book you an appointment for free tax help, or eviction defense.’ It’s a good connecting point.” 

A Beacon in West Marin

March 29, 2023

The town of Pt. Reyes Station itself is, by all accounts, pretty tiny. But the reach of local community hub and Food Bank partner West Marin Community Services (WMCS) extends to nearly 16,000 neighbors in rural West Marin — as far as Dillon Beach to the north and Bolinas to the south — with an array of services including a food pantry, financial support, a youth center, and a thrift store.  

We met Alma Sanchez, Food Pantry Manager at WMCS, on a Thursday afternoon as golden hour set in. Neighbors stopped by the food pantry periodically, many exchanging a few friendly words with Alma and other staff. 

Accessibility for Farmworkers in West Marin 

Outside WMCS’ main building, fresh produce provided by the Food Bank — like zucchini, broccoli, corn, oranges, cauliflower, eggplant and apples — was on full display at their farmer’s market-style food pantry. Inside, extra community food donations filled a few fridges. 

Alma helped restock produce outside, explaining to us as she went: “There are remote areas where people live on ranches [in West Marin]. There’s no transportation and difficult access to stores. This is the only place that is open five days a week, four hours every day.” 

WMCS serves all members of the community. But their pantry schedule is especially critical for farmworkers and their families, who often can’t attend during the limited hours at other pantry sites. Additionally, many farmworkers “don’t qualify for CalFresh, or they’re afraid to apply because they don’t know how it works.” That’s where WMCS steps in and helps fill the gaps with fresh, healthy groceries.   

Resourceful and Resilient 

During the intense flooding back in December, “People were saying, ‘We have no power, we lost everything in the fridge,’” Alma shared. “Those days we were very busy, and we operated with no power. We had a generator, and we plugged in everything and continued [all our services]. People were so happy that we had food.” 

If it’s not apparent from that anecdote alone: resourcefulness is the name of the game here in West Marin. Aside from a disaster preparedness program, the funds from their beloved community thrift store doubles as a safety net for community members.  

The Gift of Thrift 

“Thanks to our thrift store, we have a community fund that allows us to support individuals and low-income families in West Marin with unexpected expenses,” shared Yareli Cervantes, Emergency Assistance Program Manager at WMCS. “Just by serving food, we’re able to really get to know people and identify their needs. It opens up the conversation for them to come seek out financial assistance.” 

Though much of their work revolves around rental assistance — “rent out here is so high that it really eats the cost of living,” said Yareli — WMCS also supports neighbors with medical bills, prescriptions costs, and intake support for energy and rental assistance programs through a partnership with Community Action Marin (another Food Bank partner!). 

Fun for the Kids, Too 

A short walk up the road from the main WMCS hub takes us directly to the Tomales Bay Youth Center, an after-school program for mainly 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, with some high schoolers too. Food Bank and community donations cover after-school snacks and meals, and the students enjoy activities ranging from art and tutoring to sports and even a youth DJ program. 

 

“The kids are really hungry, so we need a lot of food every day. We also started a cooking class that happens every Tuesday, so some of our ingredients also come from the food pantry,” shared Interim Youth Program Coordinator Piro Ishizaka. The Youth Center helps local parents who work late, says Piro: “Pt. Reyes is a small town, so there’s nowhere for [the kids] to go otherwise. That’s what we’re doing here every day — providing a safe and fun place for the kids.” 

A Channel for Community Care 

At the Food Bank, our hope is to support and uplift important local organizations like WMCS that provide tailored services for the needs of their communities — all with empathy and dignity. During our visit to Pt. Reyes Station, this deep care for the community shined through every conversation with neighbors, staff, and volunteers. One couple we met, Margarita and Jaime, are residents of Pt. Reyes and regular volunteers. Margarita shared, “I had the time, and so at the start of the pandemic I started volunteering with a cousin of mine. I liked it so much, I brought my husband along too!”  

It’s clear Margarita isn’t the only one who feels this way. WMCS Executive Director Socorro Romo summed it up: “There is the love of the community and there’s the support of the community; we are just the channel to get that through.” 

 

The Heart of The Fillmore: A Q&A with Adrian Williams

March 23, 2023

On a beautiful, late Wednesday morning, we visited the Rosa Parks Senior Center, where members of The Village Project packed grocery bags to be delivered to community members, primarily senior citizens, in San Francisco’s Fillmore District, also known as the Western Addition.

As we approached several picnic tables assembled into a large rectangle, we could see Adrian Williams, Executive Director of The Village Project among her staff moving quickly through an efficient assembly line to fill green plastic bags with groceries — a typical morning for her. She has been a longtime partner of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, where community-based organizations that offer food as part of their other programming can come to purchase food for a few cents a pound.

The Village Project, founded seventeen years ago, began as a program to ensure the youth in the Fillmore/Western Addition communities had access to food and enrichment during the summer, when school was closed, and school lunches weren’t available. It has since evolved to include a yearly summer program for youth, afterschool program, free celebratory events for Kwanzaa and Mardi Gras, grocery deliveries to local families and seniors, and more. It’s all due to Ms. Adrian’s profound passion for youth and her unique ability to identify community needs, and tailor her approach to finding and utilizing resources.

“Ms. Adrian is an amazing part of the community who’s adapted her programming to meet the needs of the neighborhood,” said Food Bank Program Coordinator, Benson Truong. “We are lucky to have partners like her and hope to continue supporting The Village Project in their mission to feed the community.”

We caught up with Ms. Adrian during her break from the assembly line to learn more.

woman grabbing oranges to pack into plastic bags

Food Bank: Why did you start The Village Project?

Ms. Adrian: We started in 2006, during the height of violence in this community. I was working in Oakland [and] my grandbaby was growing up [in the Fillmore]. I was taking my grandbaby to school one day on California Avenue and passed by this park — [I saw people] throwing frisbees, dogs were bouncing, people on blankets. Then it dawned on me, I don’t see that in the Western Addition.

[Because I show up for my community by feeding people], I was concerned about how the babies* eat during the summer. I talked with my boss and told him that I wanted to volunteer [in the Fillmore] and feed the babies, and that’s how The Village Project started. [I would] come over on Wednesdays, knock on doors and tell the parents “Let me have your babies,” and I’d take them out on field trips to the Aviation Museum and feed them. For some, it was their first time riding BART.

Eventually, the babies would ask for more. I decided to take a leave of absence from my sales job at a Xerox dealership. My boss held my workstation for two years, [but I got hooked], so I just told him, “I can’t come back.” And that was basically the start of The Village Project.

FB: The Village Project’s website boast the Mardi Gras, San Francisco Style and Seven Days of Kwanzaa events; are there other events that The Village Project hosts?

Ms. Adrian Williams: We also have a community barbeque to kick off the summer. I’m also into the blues, honey, so we have a free blues concert.

My stuff is free, and somebody told me a long time ago that people don’t value free; I tend to disagree. I think it’s just the way you present it. People are prideful, and in the era I grew up in, pride was very important in my community.

FB: What does food mean to you?

Ms. Adrian: I grew up in the South, and we had wonderful lunches. We had real cooks in the kitchen, and we were poor. Growing up, lunch was a major meal for me. So that was one of my concerns, that the babies had food to eat. I guess that’s Southern because I’m always trying to feed people.

FB: Do you want the legacy of your work to continue into future generations?

Ms. Adrian: My daughter is the president of the Fillmore Corridor, so she’s already walking in my footsteps working with the community.

FB: It’s Women’s History Month. What does Women’s History mean for you and your community?

Ms. Adrian: I have a strong history of women [in my family]. I used to always wonder why the male person was often missing in the community, and I figured out why when we got older. In the old days, if you’re subsidizing, you could lose your income if you moved a man into your house. Well, my mother, Ruth Williams, who was the strongest person, worked three jobs, and was always astute. She literally changed legislation in the state of Louisiana to allow women on welfare to have a man stay in their household. It just amazes me how much humanity is deprived because of certain economic situations. That’s how my mother was, strong, extremely strong woman.

* When Ms. Adrian says “babies,” she is talking about young children/youth in general, not just infants and toddlers.

What’s in Store at the Shop Floor?

March 1, 2023

Step onto the shop floor at the Pennsylvania Warehouse and you’ll be greeted by racks filled with just about every item under the sun: fresh fruits and vegetables (of course), canned beans and proteins, fresh breads and pastries, eggs, frozen proteins like chicken breasts, and assorted dry, fresh, and frozen grocery items from supermarkets all over San Francisco.  

Through our “shop” program, we serve 243 partners in the community. Here’s how it works: on any given weekday, by appointment or drop-in, agencies ranging from congregate meal sites to afterschool programs can stop by the warehouse and shop for groceries from 8am-3pm.  

Donations and Fresh Rescue Lead the Way 

These Food Bank shop partners “pick up free produce, bread for 8 cents/pound, and other donated items for 18 cents/pound,” said Henry Randolph, Senior Shop Floor Manager at the Food Bank. “Produce comes to the Food Bank through the Farm to Family program just like it does for food pantries. But the other food we offer comes from community donations, or through our Fresh Rescue program. We’ll go out to local supermarkets like Whole Foods, Lucky’s, Safeway, Amazon and Costco, and bring back a variety of different products for our shoppers.”  

Flexibility, Variety, Affordability 

One partner, the Homeless Church of San Francisco, has been coming for the past three decades. Since they don’t operate a traditional pantry, the flexibility and price point of the shop floor is a huge draw. 

“At the place where we live, we bring in [unhoused] guests and we serve lunch and dinner five days a week. And we go out to different camps across San Francisco on Thursday and Friday nights and serve a full meal. On Sunday morning, we cook pancakes and serve them at the Embarcadero. And we also give out food boxes to around 30 people who live in hotels,” said April Prosser, co-founder of the Homeless Church along with her husband Pastor Greg Prosser. “So, we have a variety of needs. The donations from the Food Bank allow us to have really good meals.” 

Community Support Remains Crucial 

The Food Bank helps hundreds of partners meet the unique needs of their programs and agencies. But Henry says that lately, “demand is very high, with a limited supply,” because of inflation and supply chain issues, driving home the need for continued support from our community as we strive to keep our shop floor racks full for our neighbors and partners.  

In Henry’s words: “We’re trying to do the best we can. But if the Food Bank is hungry, how can we feed other people?” 

Through Challenges, Relationships Remain 

Regardless of current challenges, one thing remains stable: the relationships formed between Food Bankers and long-term shop partners. “I can think of a handful of agencies, like the Homeless Church, that have been shoppers for close to 30 years. And I think that’s really special because we all have a common goal: to provide services to our community. There are a lot of compassionate people that are really dedicated,” Henry shared.  

The feeling is mutual: April says that “from the beginning, the Food Bank has been a lifesaver. And Henry is a real blessing.”

Building New Futures with SFHDC

February 23, 2023

 On an otherwise quiet afternoon, Oakdale Avenue in Bayview Hunters Point was filled with the sounds of laughter, chatting and mingling. That’s because every Friday at 1 p.m., roughly 40 neighbors gather at a small food pantry in front of their apartment complex to pick up groceries and hang out. Across the street, vibrant murals painted by local youth adorn a large building and its stairway, and a community garden sits at the top of the stairs.  

The common thread here is San Francisco Housing Development Corporation (SFHDC), a nonprofit and longtime Food Bank partner that builds affordable housing, provides financial empowerment services, and invests in the growth and development of Black entrepreneurs in historically Black corridors of San Francisco. They also offer supportive services for residents, including a weekly food pantry with groceries like green onions, rice, grapefruit, sweet potatoes, avocadoes, and squash provided by the Food Bank. 

Securing Stability 

SFHDC’s multi-pronged approach is crucial for securing housing and financial stability for theNicole, longtime pantry volunteer community – but that’s not all. 

“We’re here to not only keep affordable housing in San Francisco, but to ensure and enrich the fact that we want to keep the African American community [of San Francisco] here,” said Taylor Booker, Associate Director of Resident Services and Community Engagement at SFHDC. 

For one resident Nicole, financial literacy workshops put on by SFHDC helped her pay back-due rent on her apartment – and now she gives back, too. On top of caring for her three grandchildren, she volunteers at the pantry every Friday and sits on the Board of the Tenants Association. “Oakdale’s the only pantry that’s open [in this area], so I tell all my residents to come out. And I love volunteering – it gets me out of the house, and we get to know our neighbors in the community,” Nicole shared. 

Healing in Community 

SFHDC also manages the building across from the pantry, which houses other local organizations including Dev/Mission, City of Dreams, and the Phoenix Project. There’s a variety of services available to transitional age (14-24) youth in the neighborhood – and they extend far beyond the employment, education, and housing support one might expect, thanks to leaders like Kiani Shaw.  

Volunteer Kiani puts an onion in a bag for a neighborKiani, a life coach at the Phoenix Project and a regular pantry volunteer, says that “a lot of the work I’ve been doing here with the youth is healing. How do we address the traumas that we’ve been through and how they’ve impacted us? How do we transform that into something more productive or conducive to your success?” 

This emphasis on healing and transformation is interwoven throughout the work of community advocates and activists – including SFHDC Resident Services Assistant Travis Moananu.  

The X-Factor? Trust 

“This is where my heart is,” Travis told us. He’s talking about San Francisco in general – Travis was born and raised in Potrero Hill and has been a resident of Bayview Hunters Point for the last 15 years – but the Oakdale pantry seems to fit the bill, too. Folks lit up when he arrived, with neighbors calling out, “Hey Trav!” or “My friend!”  

As a community activist and Resident Services Assistant with SFHDC, Travis’ ease and familiarity with his neighbors is irreplaceable – because trust and healing go hand in hand. “The asset that a community member can bring to an organization who’s serving the community is huge. You can’t teach what I know. They don’t have a college course for this. I lived it, I know it, I am it.”  

To Travis, having readily available, fresh produce at the food pantry is the perfect way to show his neighbors that “not everybody who comes into the community has ulterior motives. Some of us really want to help. When people can see there are organizations and people who want better for the community, I think the community will become better.” 

Visibility, Transformation, and Future-Building 

“I think people are starting to learn and understand how powerful that can be, for the community to see a community member change their life and be able to do things different,” Travis mused towards the end of our conversation. His own life has had a series of ups and downs, and the fulfillment of becoming an activist and advocate is something he never saw coming. With the trust of the community on one hand, and new connections to resources on the other, he’s the “perfect bridge.”  

“We need to see us helping us. We need to see people who look like me. That way, the kids can say, ‘Okay, well, he did it. He got out.’ I can’t really change what my past was. But I can dictate my future. My future is to help, my future is to give back, and my responsibility is to communities like this.” 

With $23, You Can’t Buy Much

February 16, 2023

“I just went to the store, and a carton of eggs was over $10. And now I’m only going to receive $23? What can I buy with that?” 

This is the predicament that Gladys, and nearly 82,000 other households in San Francisco and Marin are facing this month due to the end of CalFresh (aka SNAP, or food stamps) emergency allotments. During the pandemic, CalFresh recipients received a boost to their monthly budget for groceries. For Gladys, these emergency allotments were a buoy to hang onto as inflation remained high – but they came to an end nationwide in February.  

Staring Down a Benefits Cliff  

“I pick up groceries from the food pantry in the Canal (San Rafael) on Tuesdays, and the rest I buy with my food stamps. Last month, I received $211. Now, the letter from the county says I’ll receive $23, at most $29,” Gladys told us over the phone in Spanish. As a senior, grocery shopping is already made difficult by mobility issues: “My son will often go shopping for the both of us. I’m scared I’m going to fall.” Now, it will be doubly difficult without the emergency allotments she depended on previously.  

Gladys works as a caretaker for a woman in her neighborhood, and lives and splits rent with her adult son. It’s hard to make heads or tails of the prices she sees at the grocery store: “When I do go shopping, I see that everything is so expensive: beef, chicken, eggs. And if I want bread or something else?” Her voice trails off, as if to say, “Forget about it.” 

Food Banks Already at the Brink 

In San Francisco and Marin, the benefits cliff will be especially steep: emergency allotments for our counties averaged out at $150 and $160, respectively. Currently, the California Department of Social Services is directing affected CalFresh recipients to supplement their budget by heading to their local food banks – even though many CalFresh recipients like Gladys were already frequenting food banks to make ends meet. But the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, and others in the area, are stretched to the limit by inflation, shrinking government support, and declining donations. 

“It’s An Injustice” 

Food banks are a band-aid, not a long-term solution for the erosion of safety nets. So while our Policy and Advocacy team continues to push at the federal level for benefits that better reflect the cost of living in our counties, and our CalFresh team continues assisting households in applying and securing the benefits they qualify for, we need our community members and local elected officials to rally in support of our neighbors facing food insecurity.  

It will take all our collective efforts to mitigate the harm stemming from the end of these emergency allotments – because for Gladys and thousands of others, this decision is nothing short of devastating. 

“I just don’t agree with this. No one agrees with this,” Gladys shared. “We won’t have food. It’s an injustice.” 

What Food Means to Us

December 14, 2022

For many of us, the holidays are a time to gather around a shared meal. Pantries are perused, cookbooks are cracked, and calls are made to relatives for their special recipes (if you missed it, check out our community cookbook with contributions from participants, volunteers, and staff!).

Here’s what we know at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank: in sharing a meal, we share our humanity. We’ve spent the last 365 days gathering stories from the community and asking: “what does food mean to you?”

“Food means nourishment”

One sunny February morning, we visited our partner Code Tenderloin in San Francisco and heard from volunteer Arielle: “Food means nourishment – of the mind, body, and soul. Food makes you feel good, gives you confidence and courage that maybe you don’t have when you’re hungry. Maybe best of all is you can share it with people – it’s the way to a person’s heart.”

Code Tenderloin’s Executive Director, Donna Hilliard, added: “I think, with our culture, food is everything. When we come together, we eat. When we celebrate, we eat. When we’re sad, we eat. Sharing meals especially means a lot. For the folks at Code Tenderloin, all of us have been on the ground, so we serve our food with love. That’s why so many people are comfortable coming back – we want them to feel like our extended family.”

Arielle, left, is a student, mom, and volunteer at Code Tenderloin. Donna Hilliard, right, is Code Tenderloin’s Executive Director.

CalFresh recipient Yurin told us how a balanced meal means wellness for her family. “It’s something fundamental to health,” she shared. “Having good food, healthy food, is vital to every person every day.”

And at a bustling Pop-up Pantry in San Francisco’s SoMa, participant Russ chatted with us after picking up his groceries. “It means everything,” he said, showing us a watermelon he was excited to slice into. “I’m learning how to eat healthier now that I can get more and better food from this pantry. I turn 65 next August. You can live a lot better as you learn how to cook, what to eat, and what not to eat.”

Yurin is a Marin resident, mom, and CalFresh recipient.

Making Space for Joy

“Food brings us together, you know? If you got a group of people together, bring a meal. Ain’t nobody fussing when you’re eating.” Cliffton is a longtime San Francisco resident and an artist – recently, he painted ‘Spirit of the Fillmore’ in the Buchanan Street Mall. He’s also a participant at our Rosa Parks Pop-up Pantry. “Food is nourishment for the body,” he continued. “Your body won’t allow you to be negative in that moment, because it’s getting good food.”

That’s the not-so-obvious benefit of a full pantry: with no worries about where the next meal will come from, our neighbors can bring a little more sweetness into their lives.

Laura Cedillo, center, is a Program Manager at our partner Native American Health Center. Cliffton, right, is an artist, longtime San Francisco resident, and participant at our Rosa Parks Pop-up Pantry.

Laura Cedillo, Program Manager at our partner Native American Health Center [https://www.nativehealth.org/], told us that “food means someone’s looking out for you and taking care of you.” Laura and her team pack bags of healthy groceries for anyone who needs them in a second-story space that’s part health clinic in the Mission. She views food as memories as much as sustenance. “When I think of food, I think of family, and I think of being cared for. It’s like, hey, how do I love myself? One of my best friends is Mohican from the New York area, and I remember on her birthday she was like, ‘I’m going to make myself some butternut squash.’ And now every time I make butternut squash, I remember my friend. I remember people I love when I cook.”

 

More than Just Calories

We heard loud and clear from almost everyone we spoke to that food is much more than something that fills your stomach for a few hours.

“I believe food means connection to others,” said Maria, who is both a participant and a volunteer at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in the Mission. “You can meet someone at the food pantry and get to know them and also know they care about you. Because all the people volunteering here, they care about all of us – that’s why they’re here.”

Maria, left, is a resident of San Francisco’s Mission district, and is both a participant and a volunteer. Pastor Richard Roberts, right, heads our partner San Francisco Community Fellowship.

“To share food is to get to know people, right?” said Pastor Richard Roberts at San Francisco Community Fellowship  one of our partners in the Excelsior. “It’s not just feeding them physical food, it’s emotional support and understanding, and getting people to a space where they feel comfortable and accepted. That’s what food means to me.”

As he spoke, Pastor Roberts watched volunteers pack grocery bags while photos of churchgoers at weddings and service days smiled down on them. For him, creating a community and holding a food pantry are all part of the same spirit.

Employment Plus: More than Job Opportunities

November 15, 2022

Samedi and Annette tying bags together

On the stage of Stern Grove, a historic natural amphitheater in the Sunset District, iconic R&B/funk band Tower of Power opened the 2022 concert series to a crowd of thousands this past June. The hills were blanketed in eucalyptus trees and nasturtium, and the vibe was electric. Dancing and grooving along in the crowd were three unlikely acquaintances: Samedi, an artist; Annette, a retired fundraiser for KALW radio; and Tiffany, a job coach. What brought this group together, you might ask? 

Employment Plus: Emphasis on the “Plus” 

Employment Plus (E+) connects adults with developmental disabilities with career and job training, as well as community engagement opportunities. Clients can opt-in to volunteer at Pop-up Pantries, where many of the activities – customer service, community interaction, bagging groceries, and breaking down boxes – offer just that.  

Javon poses while breaking down cardboard

E+ client Javon, a longtime Bayview resident and Food Bank volunteer since 2015, uses his volunteer experience while “mopping, sweeping, and double bagging” at Whole Foods Market. 

Samedi is another familiar face at Pop-up Pantry shifts: “Sometime I’m here so early, it’s even before the staff are here. I come and help them unload the truck.” E+ connected him to the Food Bank, and he’s since built several close relationships including his fellow concertgoers: Annette, who volunteers at pantries six days a week, and Tiffany, a job coach at E+. 

Pop-up Pantries Create Connection 

Lupita, Javon, Robin and Tiffany pose in front of a Food Bank truck after a Pop-up shift

Isolation and loneliness marked much of the past three years for many of us. But even in times of unprecedented separation, people will always discover ways to find companionship and to help others around them.

That’s certainly the case with the E+ volunteers. For three years, they’ve shared groceries with neighbors every week at our Pop-up Pantries, making connections along the way – but many were volunteering even before the pandemic. As a group they’ve dedicated more than 1852 hours of volunteer time since 2021 alone.  

Packing Bags in Partnership 

Robin heard about E+ through friends and has been a consistent Food Bank volunteer for a few years. Pre-pandemic, she was bagging rice in the warehouse, but now her “favorite part is tying the bags. And talking with people…I’ve met a lot of people through this,” she told us. 

Dana fills up grocery bags with fresh produce

It’s clear that beyond transferable skills, hundreds of hours of volunteerism, and the physical workout, the biggest benefit for all is the chance to connect.  

Marcel, a Community Support Coordinator who has worked closely with volunteers from E+ for more than a year, said “we often share laughs while working very hard. They’re very flexible when it comes to an assignment shift, always ready to help out with any task. Having the Employment Plus team onsite equates to a happy day at our Pop-up Pantries.” 

Straight-faced, Samedi told us: “They love me here,” as if to underscore Marcel’s point. Then he broke into a bout of laughter and headed back to continue sharing groceries and a smile with his neighbors.