Serve Sacramento
special edition
Have you heard of the food insecure?
This special edition newsletter has been created to inform you about the issue of food insecurity in our region. Food insecurity is now the common term used by non-profit and government circles to describe the hungry. In this edition you will learn a few things, but more importantly there is a way you can take action. We are going to meet needs of the food insecure at our upcoming Season of Service Celebration at Raley Field on May 22nd.
Serving with you,
Megan McCleary
It's not too late to get your tickets!
Tickets for the event can be purchased here (Select: Serve Sacramento and enter code: SERVESAC). Group tickets can be purchased by contacting Alex Harbowy at (916)376-4869 or aharbowy@rivercats.com
What is food insecurity?
Food insecurity is the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. This is due to a variety of factors including poverty and lack of transportation to grocery stores and farmers markets. In a 2012 study, the UCLA’s California Health Interview Survey found that 220,000 Sacramento County residents are food insecure.
What is a food desert?
Below is a map taken from the Food Access Research Atlas that shows food deserts in the Sacramento Region taken from a 2010 census tract.
Where can I learn more about food insecurity?
Click HERE to view a 2012 report Hunger Hits Home, by Community Link Capital Region's Sacramento Hunger Coalition.
Join the Hunger in the Farm-To-Fork Capital community conversation on May 13th or June 3rd. Hear from community leaders and discuss local solutions to the issue of food insecurity in our region. Click HERE to view a flyer with more information.
Read Comstock Magazine's article Scavenger Hunt HERE to learn how urban foraging assists local food banks in providing food for the community.
What Can I do to serve the food insecure in my community?
Start a Community Garden on your church property. Here is one example.
Begin a regular community evening supper at your church and invite your neighbors
Volunteer with Harvest Sacramento, of Soil Born Farms to harvest underutilized fruit and vegetables from backyards and small orchards and donate it to local food assistance agencies.
Where is my local food bank?
Find your local food bank or pantry by clicking on 211 Sacramento's Emergency Food page HERE. Select your County and city or unincorporated area and discover food banks and pantries that serve you and your neighbors
Here is a list of some food banks that may be near you: