Host: Joseph Pace
Producer: Judith Sansone
When we think of people who are hungry, images of Depression-era food lines, or a scantily clad child from a non-specific less developed nation typically come to mind. However, the true face of hunger in San Francisco is better captured among the familiar faces on the Muni train; all ages, all ethnic backgrounds, all body types struggle to put enough food on the table.
Recent estimates indicate that 1 in 5 San Franciscans are “food insecure” – meaning that they do not confidently know where their next meal is coming from. With numbers significantly higher than the national average of 14.8%, food insecure San Franciscans tend to underutilize available programs, or, due to the high cost of living here, fail to qualify for them, because their incomes are too high.
Join us on City Visions as we discuss the prevalence of and response to food insecurity in San Francisco. What services make up the food “safety net?” How do hungry individuals access services? How do we make sense of an endless national dialogue about an obesity epidemic in light of such high numbers of hungry people? What can listeners do to contribute to the solutions?
Guests:
- Sean Brooks, Director of Programs, San Francisco Food Bank.
- Paula Jones, Director of Food Systems, San Francisco Department of Public Health. Visit the city's food website >>
- Hilary Seligman, MD, UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations.
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