Dear Supporters,
September is Hunger Action Month, and you might be surprised at how high the rate of food insecurity across the Bay area really is. In December 2020, in Alameda County, the number of households reporting food insecurity peaked at 25%. It was at 24% in San Francisco and even in wealthy Marin that number was at 20%. Currently, across California, an average of 1 in 5 people are affected by food insecurity. Families with children often suffer the most, with 1 in 8 Californian children currently facing hunger.
Sadly, there are deep racial disparities associated with consistent access to food. In 2021, food insecurity in the United States was double for Latino households (16.2%) and almost triple for Black households (19.8%) compared to White homes (7%).
Increasingly, food policy experts are focused on nutrition security over food security. Nutrition security means ensuring all Americans have consistent, equitable access to safe, healthy foods and beverages. Food banks and food assistance programs are becoming increasingly aware of this differentiation, and that’s where we come in.
By teaching our most vulnerable children how to cook from scratch with fresh ingredients, they learn about the critical importance of incorporating good nutrition into their daily lives. Students come away knowing how to cook affordable, healthy meals for themselves and their families. It's a lifelong skill and an effective way to tackle hunger and nutrition insecurity in the long term.
You can watch a video of our summer school work at The College of Marin organic farm, made in conjunction with our partner, Aim High of Novato, here:
