New Report Shows Hunger A Real Issue In San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – A new report by the San Francisco Food Security Task Force shows that one in four San Franciscans are at risk of missing meals and going hungry.
The study found that the high cost of living in San Francisco leaves many residents without sufficient money to buy healthy food, even if they are low income and qualify for food subsidies.
"The total missing meals is equal to over 74 million meals every single year in San Francisco," said Food Security Task Force Chair Teri Ollie at a Board of Supervisors committee hearing on Thursday.
New Report Shows Hunger A Real Issue In San Francisco
San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar said there is no reason for so many San Franciscans to have so little to eat.
"The supposed foodie capital of the world and arguably one of the world's richest cities, yet thousands of our residents walk around everyday hungry and worried, having that fear of whether they will have the ability to feed themselves and their families," Mar said.
The report found that subsidies like CalFresh (California's name for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, formerly called "food stamps") don't provide enough money to pay for three healthy meals a day and healthy foods are difficult to come by in some neighborhoods.
It also found that CalFresh is inaccessible to low-income seniors, disabled adults and undocumented residents, and it is underutilized by many who are eligible.
The report also found that over 19,500 units in San Francisco lack complete kitchens, meaning cooking at home and in some cases, even food storage, can be a problem for residents.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
