#MythbusterMonday - August 2017 Myths Busted

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We begin each week using our online voice to debunk myths about hunger. Our #MythbusterMonday social media series dispels misinformation and stigma commonly associated with food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP and school meals and the people who rely on them to help put food on the table.  

What hunger myths have you heard? Join us in sharing the truth about hunger each Monday using the hashtag #MythbusterMonday.

In August we busted the following hunger myths:

August 7

The first Monday of the month we take a look back at the myths busted the previous month. Check out the myths we busted in July 2017 here. 

August 14

#MythbusterMonday Our latest food insecurity data for San Diego County is out! Nearly 1 in 6 people in our region don’t have enough food for an active healthy life. Does this data debunk any #hunger myths you’ve heard? Which ones? Click here to view the latest food insecurity data for San Diego County. 

August 21

#MythbusterMonday “Schools serve junk food for school lunch.” False! Meals served as part of the National School Lunch Program must meet nutrition guidelines based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. School meals must comply with requirements like age-appropriate calorie ranges and sodium limits and must provide less than 10% of calories from saturated fat and contain zero grams trans-fat. Click here and see Myth #3 to learn more from the Poway Unified School District. 

August 28

#MythbusterMonday “Too many ineligible children are receiving school meals on my tax dollar.” False! There is no evidence that many in-eligible children are receiving free or discounted school meals. In fact, studies suggest that the number of Americans eligible for supplemental food assistance programs like school meals is dramatically underestimated and that these programs are underutilized. 

Follow the San Diego Hunger Coalition on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram. 

September is Hunger Awareness Month - Ways to Support the San Diego Hunger Coalition

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Nearly 1 in 6 people in San Diego County don't always have enough to eat. September is Hunger Awareness Month. Together with our partners, we are spreading the word and raising money to fight hunger in our community. Listed below are events where you can support the San Diego Hunger Coalition's work and get more involved.

San Diego Hunger Coalition's Hunger Free Fest
Saturday, September 23
2 - 5 PM
SMARTS Farm (1326 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101)
Tickets: $40 in advance / $50 at the door
BUY TICKETS HERE
This family-friendly event will offer delicious hors d'oeuvres created by renowned local chefs, refreshments, live music, a children's gardening activity by SMARTS Farm, and the opportunity to win fabulous raffle and silent auction items. Your ticket purchase includes entertainment, hors d'oeuvres and your first drink. All proceeds will go to support the San Diego Hunger Coalition's work to connect eligible people in need to food assistance programs. Join us to have fun for a good cause! 

Work out to fight hunger at Ashley Lane Fitness

Sculpt Class (60 minutes) - $20/per person
Followed by refreshments and a raffle!
Saturday, September 16, 12 - 1:30 PM
1450 University Ave. #201 & 202, San Diego, CA 92103
REGISTER HERE (CLASS LISTED UNDER SEPTEMBER 16)
This class will guide you through a workout with dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, and bosu balls. Ashley Lane Fitness guarantees that each class will be unique and fun! All proceeds from this class will go to support the San Diego Hunger Coalition.  

Hunger Advocacy Network Legislative Briefing on Hunger & Healthcare

Tuesday, September 19, 9 - 11 AM
City Heights Center (Price Charities Building)
4305 University Ave., Meeting Room 640 (6th floor), San Diego, CA 92105
RSVP for this free event by emailing Diane@sdhunger.org. 
Join the Hunger Advocacy Network for a panel discussion on the intersection of healthcare and hunger. Hear from medical professionals and anti-hunger advocates as they brief San Diego County's state representatives on why strengthening food security is important and what they can do to help. 

Eat out to fight hunger at Panera Bread & Chipotle

Panera Bread - Point Loma (Liberty Station)
Thursday, September 21, 4 - 8 PM
2445 Truxtun Rd., San Diego, CA 92106
Panera will donate a percentage of the proceeds from your order to the San Diego Hunger Coalition when you present our fundraising flier.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FLIER

Chipotle - Mission Valley (Westfield Shopping Center)
Thursday, September 28, 4-8 PM
1025 Camino De La Reina, Suite 2, San Diego, CA 92108
Chipotle will donate a 50% of the proceeds from your order to the San Diego Hunger Coalition when our fundraising flier is presented. 
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FLIER

Hunger Awareness Month 2017 - Eat Out to Fight Hunger at Chipotle on September 28

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September is Hunger Awareness Month and this year the San Diego Hunger Coalition is teaming up with Chipotle to raise money to connect San Diegans in need to vital food assistance resources. On Thursday, September 28 between 4 - 8 pm visit the Chipotle in Mission Valley (Westfield Shopping Center) at 1025 Camino De La Reina, Suite 2, San Diego, CA 92108 and present this flier. Chipotle will donate 50% of the sales from our supporters who show this flier to benefit the San Diego Hunger Coalition. Eat for change! 

Hunger Awareness Month 2017 - Eat out to Fight Hunger at Panera Bread on September 21

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September is Hunger Awareness Month and this year the San Diego Hunger Coalition is teaming up with Panera Bread to raise money to connect San Diegans in need to vital food assistance resources. On Thursday, September 21 between 4 - 8 pm visit the Panera Bread in Point Loma (Liberty Station) at 2445 Truxtun Rd., San Diego, CA 92106 and present this flier. Panera will donate a percentage of the sales from our supporters who show this flier to benefit the San Diego Hunger Coalition. Eat bread to raise dough for a good cause! 

A History of the San Diego Hunger Coalition

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The San Diego Hunger Coalition was founded on Thanksgiving Day in 1974, when a group of caring San Diegans banded together to address local concern over hunger. The Coalition’s first advocacy campaign was in 1975 with the support of SB 530, proposed legislation that would enable local stores to donate their damaged food for anti-hunger efforts.

For the first three years of program operation, the Hunger Coalition existed as a project of the San Diego Ecumenical Conference. In order to obtain more independence, in 1977, the Hunger Coalition developed by-laws and applied for 501(c)3 tax exempt status as an association. Throughout its initial 15 years of service, the SDHC recognized the larger political and environmental impacts of poverty and their connection to food insecurity. Based upon this world view, the Coalition focused on additional advocacy efforts, including issues such as: campaigning for general welfare reform and peace in Central America, supporting farm worker movements and boycotts, and registering their opposition to nuclear facilities and CalFresh/SNAP cuts. This underlying foundation guided much of the Coalition’s work including its commitment to advocacy, education and direct service.

 In the early years of the new millennium, the SDHC turned its attention towards federal programs including CalFresh/SNAP and School Meals Programs.

 The SDHC began providing training and support to community based organizations contracted to conduct CalFresh/SNAP outreach, build relationships with County staff, and open up dialog and feedback loops in order to identify barriers to federal benefits and improve access for low income people. Through these partnerships the Food Stamp Task Force (now called the CalFresh Task Force) was developed in 2005, when San Diego County utilization rates ranked among the worst in the nation at 26%. 2006 was momentous as it saw the SDHC hire its first paid staff member through a grant from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. Today the Task Force boasts more than 40 member organizations and has monthly meetings in each region of the county.  San Diego’s CalFresh participation rate has increased to 64%, but this is still far below the 80-90% typical in other metropolitan areas of the U.S. 

Today, SDHC continues to operate as a lean but high-powered organization with a staff of six, located in the City Heights area of San Diego. In 2015, SDHC hired a full time staff person to focus on school meals, and we have become the designated facilitator for the Summer Lunch Task Force, which is a working group of the County’s Community Nutrition Action Partnership (CNAP). We anticipate this program area growing in scale and impact similar to our CalFresh Outreach program, and we are also actively aligning outreach between the two program areas. Our legislative and systems change advocacy efforts are focused on CalFresh and School Meals, and how we can best interconnect federal food assistance programs with other community-based efforts to end hunger.

CA Lifts Ban on CalFresh for People with Prior Drug Felony Conviction

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CA Lifts Ban on CalFresh for People with Prior Drug Felony Conviction

California’s recent lifting of a ban on CalFresh for those with a former drug conviction means access to critical food resources for individuals trying to turn their lives around. From advocating to repeal the ban to ensuring the new regulations are implemented on the ground, SDHC has been an important leader on this issue.

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