San Diego’s Hunger Coalition Works to End Hunger through Education and Advocacy

The San Diego Hunger Coalition (“SDHC”) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to and participation in federal food programs. They educate and advocate on the local, state and national levels with a vision of extinguishing hunger and malnutrition within the County.

In light of the flurry of charitable acts that traditionally emphasize holiday giving, I wanted to explore what we can do on an ongoing basis to assist local food and nourishment-related programs any time of the year.

I spoke with Jennifer Tracy, the Executive Director of San Diego Hunger Coalition (SDHC) an agency that has been in existence for thirty-five years and operates with a total seven staff members.

SDHC has numerous community partnerships which include about sixty organizations (such as Food Bank, Feeding America, Catholic Charities, Jewish Family Services, Chula Vista Collaborative) and they provide training and support to these groups, as well as serve as part of the task force for the CalFresh program (formerly known as Food Stamps). Part of SDHC's role is to conduct research on policy issues and gather feedback from partners and take it to the executive level, working to make the CalFresh process more efficient and effective across the county.

As with many nonprofit programs, one of the main challenges for SDHC is a lack of funding. Volunteers are needed to help raise funds and raise awareness about the organization.

Another area in which help is needed (and that any of us can do at any time) is to work to change the misconceptions and stigmas that are associated with anti-hunger programs. Tracy says, “People think it's waste, it's fraud and abuse. Less than 2 percent of the cases are fraudulent; overall, the programs are really effective....”
Based on this misconception, more awareness is needed to educate people about the overall needs of our community. The more we learn about what the issues are the less likelihood for miseducation and stereotyping around the hunger issue. Independent research, blogging and sharing via Facebook and Twitter are good ways to help promote a better understanding of the hunger issues in San Diego and this also helps the numerous organizations involved in anti-hunger campaigns.

SDHC can also use volunteers who would like to serve on the board of directors as well as volunteers who would like to contribute their advocacy skills by working to make sure that people have access to Cal Fresh program. Additionally, communications support such as web development and content writing are also needed.

Volunteers who want to encourage a dialogue which will inform the public and reduce the misconceptions that many have about hunger issues are in demand. These are simple and effective ways to get involved that can make a big difference in other people's lives.

We have so many key resources to address these local issues. It is good to know about these collaborations that include neighborhood gardens, local farms, health educators, nutrition experts and for-profit entities that are in place to assist us be of greater service to one another.

You can learn more about SDHC's efforts by visiting their site: www.sandiegohungercoalition.org.

Local Nonprofits Use Food and Creativity while Addressing Sustainability

What a wonderful summer full of inspiration and positive changes we have had in San Diego. Here is an update on organizations that are doing amazing work with a health and sustainability-oriented focus.

I had the pleasure of attending the “A Taste of Summer,” the nonprofit Ecoffiency’s San Diego event and meeting with nonprofit co-founder Chrissy Gray to discuss the event, program mission and goals for the future. Ecofficiency, an Orange County-based organization runs a few projects and highlighted its program, “Positive Plate” which expanded to include Carlsbad at the beginning of the year. Its mission is “to inspire an ethic of responsible lifestyle choices and individual actions that result in positive impacts on society and the environment.” In preparation for its introduction to San Diego, Ecofficiency selected two San Diego-based nonprofits as benefactors for its collaboration: Olivewood Gardens and San Diego Hunger Coalition. Gray states that the goal was to continue to grow deeper relationships with both entities through involvement in this event.

The event was held at San Diego's Liberty Station on a Friday evening and was sustainability-themed including chefs from San Diego-based restaurants Alchemy, Café Chole, Carnitas, Casa de Luz, and Gabardine. Each restaurant created unique appetizers and small plates; all dishes were created using local and organic ingredients. Attendees enjoyed local wine and craft beers while enjoying local art and learning about other sustainability driven businesses and organizations. Ecofficiency focuses “on the demands and actions of individuals…yet only with the goal of contributing to a larger grassroots movement that demonstrates and demands change.” I felt that their San Diego event was a great way to introduce their concepts as well as encourage the local community’s support and participation.

Through the Positive Plate program, Ecofficiency works with restaurants in Orange County and San Diego to implement sustainability plans addressing areas such as product sourcing; energy and water efficiency; recycling and waste reduction; employee training and development as well as community engagement. The restaurants that are part of their programs are generally part of the community events that they create. I asked about the organizers’ observations, processes and challenges in the planning of an introductory event in a new community and new companies. Gray states she researched organizations to find out the best match for their mission and hopes to strengthen relationships with partnering organizations and businesses on the last event. Some of the challenges were a lack of volunteer assistance as well as funding and sponsorships. In their first San Diego event, Ecofficiency was able to generate $5,000 for their nonprofit, promote local businesses and donate ten percent of their proceeds to the participating nonprofits.

What’s Next for Ecofficiency: “Taste of Fall” is scheduled for Thursday, October 18, 2012 with more dynamic restaurants where attendees can experience unique small plates created by conscious Orange County chefs and using local and organic ingredients. Tickets are $65. For more information see www.ecofficiency.org. By Brigitte Taylor on Twitter @SuiteBrigitte