Hunger manifests itself as a consistent lack of enough food to meet nutritional requirements. It can mean fewer meals each day and poor-quality food that is calorie-rich but nutrient-poor.
In San Francisco, 197,000 people struggle each day to feed themselves and their families. In Marin, just over 40,000 people - or 16% of the population - face the threat of hunger on a given day.
237,000 is the number of people who live at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in San Francisco and Marin - $33,873 per year for a family of three. It's at this income level that children are eligible for Free and Reduced Price Meals and families are eligible for WIC. Very often, these families lack the resources to provide enough food to consistently nourish themselves.
39% of the households who receive weekly groceries through the Food Bank include at least one working adult, while 18% of our clients are homeless. Hunger frequently strikes the most vulnerable people in our communities: 1 in 5 children do not have access to enough food to meet their nutritional needs on a regular basis.
Most of our programs are self-verifying. That means that anyone who is willing to wait in line to receive food may have it. This cuts down on the feelings of shame or embarrassment that may prevent people from accessing the food that they need.
The one exception is the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, a governmental program that is administered by the Food Bank. Participants in that program must prove residency in San Francisco or Marin; and they must also submit proof that their income is below a federally determined level.
Income cutoffs for many government benefits are set on a federal level, but the local cost of living is considerably higher than the national average. Many lower-income residents of San Francisco and Marin earn too much to receive benefits, but not enough to get by without assistance.
For example, in order to qualify for Food Stamps, you must make less than 130% of the federal poverty level. Currently, that is $23,803 for a family of three. And at that income level, families may only be eligible for the minimum monthly benefit of $14.
The 2007 Farm Bill made some incremental improvements to the Food Stamp program, and President Obama's economic stimulus package added temporary additional funding for Food Stamps.
However, many people who are disqualified from governmental nutrition programs still do not earn enough to make ends meet and feed their families.
Check out our resources on the incidence of hunger.
Learn more about people who live with the threat of hunger — participate in Hunger 101 online.
Volunteer at the Food Bank.
Make a gift to provide food to people in need.
