Glide Memorial launches effort to ease food insecurity in San Francisco
A new program at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco is one of several that have sprung up to help deal with food insecurity for families in the city.
Every week - even in the rain - Gladys Aguilar comes to Glide to pick up a specially-packed green bag that's making a difference as she raises a 17-month-old girl.
"It helps me a lot," said Aguilar. "Meats, vegetables, and especially the Pampers.
Participants in the Zero Waste Food Pantry order online first. The idea is to give out only what's needed and minimize plastic packaging.
For Aguilar, the assistance secures a roof over her head.
"I can pay my rent. Without it, If I'm buying vegetables, I'll be short on rent," she said.
Nearly 100 bags are packed each week for qualifying families. The Glide Foundation says the average annual household income for current participants is a little over $18,000.
The Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service recently visited the facility in San Francisco. Dr. Sara Bleich observed how Glide provides three meals a day, 364 days a year, and improves services like the Zero Waste Pantry.
"We saw them handing out sleeves of diapers," said Bleich. 'It's a really great example of how do you identify the needs in a community and make sure people who live there have what they need to make sure they are well-fed."
Bleich, who also teaches public health policy at Harvard University, shared how her family received food stamps when she was growing up.
Food insecurity for households with children is at a two-decade low, but the latest USDA data also shows 34 million households in the country are still facing food insecurity.
"As we travel around the country and think about the funding streams we control and the ways we work with state and local organizations how can we make sure that programs like this have the resources they need to not just thrive, but be sustainable over time for the communities they serve," said Bleich.
For Aguilar, a few necessities go a long way.
"Sometimes they give us soap for washing," said Aguilar. " I love this program. It helps a lot."
City leaders and non-profits like the San Francisco Marin Food Bank say one in four San Francisco residents is at risk of hunger due to low income.
Glide officials say seven out of 10 people who receive services from the organization live in the city's Tenderloin District.
