Jamie Winslow has learned a lot about how to get help with life’s essentials since she’s been unemployed. Winslow is 43, a mother, and a former wellness director who’s trying to start a small business.
Over the last year, she’s received help from government programs. But she said no program has been there for her like her local food bank, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and its partner program at Sunnyvale Community Services.
“The food banks are the unsung heroes, and I didn’t realize that until I was in the lines with everybody,” Winslow said. “There’s so little help you can count on that you don’t have to reapply to every 3 or 6 months. Knowing I could go every Wednesday to get food … I knew we’d be able to get by.”
Many are now struggling
The latest survey from California Food Banks found 1 in 3 families with children had trouble putting food on the table, and 1 in 5 adults reported receiving free food assistance.
Kaiser Permanente recently provided a $125,000 grant to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley to help provide nutritious food to more people in need. It was one of more than 100 food-related grants totaling more than $6.1 million that Kaiser Permanente provided to organizations throughout Northern California this year.
“Too many people across Northern California face food insecurity, and the need for support continues to grow,” said Yvette Radford, national vice president, Community Affairs, Kaiser Permanente. “This year we invested more than ever before in grants that strengthen our region’s emergency food system and expand access to food for people who need it most.”
The grants are helping food banks and other community organizations distribute food, deliver nutritious meals to older or disabled adults, and help people enroll in food benefits, such as CalFresh. CalFresh is a federally funded state program that provides low-income people with benefits to purchase food at grocery stores or farmers markets.
Helping put food on the table
With recent policy changes to federal food assistance programs and the rising cost of living, more people are expected to turn to food banks and other free food distribution programs to help them get enough to eat.
Even affluent communities are feeling the pinch. Second Harvest of Silicon Valley CEO Leslie Bacho said her organization now serves 1 in 6 residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
“Many of the people we’re serving are low-wage workers and working families that are struggling to pay their rent, pay their expenses, and still be able to afford food,” Bacho said.
The recent changes to CalFresh mean more residents will need to prove that they’re either working, volunteering, or in training before they can receive help. Bacho said that will result in fewer people getting federal food assistance and greater reliance on their local food bank to make ends meet.
“Whenever we see a reduction in the CalFresh program, our lines get longer,” Bacho said. “We’re grateful to Kaiser Permanente for helping ensure that the people who turn to Second Harvest have consistent access to the nutritious food they need to thrive.”
