Food Insecurity is a term referring to disruption of access to enough quality, nutritious food due to lack of money and other resources. In California, food insecurity has more than doubled for its residents and more than tripled in some Bay Area Counties.
Statistics show that applications to CalFresh, the governmental program providing electronic benefits that can be used to buy most foods, have surged in the past year. This increase suggests that about 28% of people have experienced incomes plunging below the federal poverty line.
CalFresh benefits average about $1.39 per person per meal, so many recipients need to rely on food banks and other forms of assistance, even more so during the pandemic. Food banks around the Bay Area now serve twice as many people as before. School-based lunch programs had to switch to a grab-and-go model during distance learning, ensuring that the children are fed and ready to learn. Given this environment, Felton’s food program has greater importance to the families served.
In line with Felton Institute’s mission of taking care of the family, CYF-TAY runs several programs combating food insecurity in our community.
The Child Care Food Program operates within Felton’s Early Care and Education Programs. The purpose is to provide nutritional foods to enhance health, well-being, development, and educational potential for our children.
The Child Care Food Program is integrated into the overall child development program philosophy by providing all enrolled children a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack. Infants and toddlers are introduced to a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein foods which develop life-long healthy eating habits and promote pre-school readiness.
In 2020, Felton’s Family Development Center (FDC) provided 6,000 meals a month to children. All meals are carefully prepared in the on-site kitchen located in San Francisco.
Additionally, Healthy Families, Healthy Lives “Families Sanas, Vida’s Sanas” Wellness Program operates on-site at the FDC, in partnership with the Kaiser Permanente Community Program and the San Francisco Food Bank.
Felton’s Farmers Market provides low-income at-risk families free fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meat, poultry, and nutritional and health workshops. The overarching goal of wellness programming is to prevent chronic disease and obesity. With the food provided for them, families are also given educational opportunities to learn about healthier eating habits. Though started in the Mission District, in 2020, Felton extended its Farmers Market across all its Early Care and Education programs – increasing our food supply to double the amounts of the weekly distributed food.
For more information about these programs, contact:
Family Development Center
2730 Bryant Street, 1st Floor
San Francisco, CA 94110
Main: 415.282.1090
Fax: 415.282.1735
You may choose to give to Felton Institute today by visiting felton.org/donate to donate online.
About Felton Institute: Founded in 1889, Felton Institute responds to human needs by providing cutting edge, evidence-based mental health and social services that transform lives. Felton Institute is a tax-exempt organization registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit under EIN 94-1156530.
Offering more than 50 acclaimed and honored programs that address homelessness, mental health, prenatal, adolescent, adult, and senior needs, Felton Institute provides services in San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Marin, and Monterey counties. Felton’s social services and programs utilize the latest scientific research, combining cultural sensitivity, deep respect for client and staff, and a commitment to social justice.
Felton is the oldest non-sectarian and nonprofit social services provider in the City and County of San Francisco. For over a century, Felton Institute has been at the forefront of social service innovation, pioneering new approaches to meet underserved populations’ emerging needs. At the heart of our work is the belief that individuals and families in crisis must have access to services and resources to help them build on their inherent strengths and develop self-sufficiency. www.felton.org