New Leaves

For my first blog post on giving back opportunities, I’ve decided to focus on food security. Food security recently became a national spotlight as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits were temporarily halted during the recent US government shutdown. Stories flooded the news with people unable to access funds to help pay for food costs. What the shutdown showed is that access to food security is a part of many people’s lives, and we need to do more to ensure everyone has access to food.

Food security is important because it is crucial for good health, cultural recognition, and overall stability. Everyone should have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to prevent malnutrition, reduce poverty, and foster development. Food security is the foundation of life, as we must have food and water to survive.

Years ago, I worked as an administrator within an elementary school that was located in a lower-income area. The school provided two meals a day, breakfast and lunch, for all students, free of charge. In addition, some children were provided weekend meal packs to take home on Fridays to ensure they had food for the weekend. Children were offered breakfast at the beginning of the school day to ensure no child was hungry. Hunger could contribute to poor academic performance, health issues, and behavioral problems. I remember when a student would be sent to the school principal’s office for behavioral issues; the first thing the principal would often do is go to the school kitchen to get a meal for the child. I asked why he did this, and he shared that many times the child would be hungry, and hunger could lead to behaviors that were more intense or frequent than usual.

There are three organizations that I will be looking into to donate time or financially: Meals on Wheels, San Diego Food Bank, and World Central Kitchen. Two choices are local to my area, and one is global.

Meals on Wheels

Since 1954, Meals on Wheels America has fought senior hunger across the United States. It started as a small group in Philadelphia and has since gone on to serve millions each year. They deliver meals that improve the health of senior citizens who can’t provide for themselves. Meals on Wheels America aims to provide high-quality and nutritious meals to senior citizens, which improves their health and quality of life. Their friendly service also helps seniors battling loneliness and checks in on them periodically to ensure their safety.

San Diego Food Bank

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Last year, the Food Bank distributed over 50 million pounds of food, and the Food Bank serves, on average, 400,000 people per month in San Diego County. The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and our North County location provide nutritious food to people in need, advocate for the hungry, and educate the public about hunger-related issues.

World Central Kitchen

World Central Kitchen (WCK) is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Applying a model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time, WCK has served hundreds of millions of nourishing meals around the world. When disaster strikes, WCK’s Relief Team mobilizes with the urgency of now to start cooking and serving meals to people in need efficiently and with dignity. By partnering with organizations on the ground and activating a network of local restaurants, food trucks, or emergency kitchens, WCK serves comforting meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively. To support regional economies, WCK prioritizes purchasing local ingredients to cook with or distribute directly to families in need.

All three of these organizations have a 90% rating or above on Charity Navigator and have a been recognized for providing services to increase food security. With Thanksgiving a little over a week away, I can think of no better time than to do what I can to ensure no one is hungry this holiday season.