Food access programs in the region were bolstered Wednesday after the San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved two grants totaling $750,000.
Supervisors on Tuesday approved $500,000 for the San Diego Food Bank, and $250,000 to the California Center for Cooperative Development to support the SunCoast Market Co-Op, now being built in the city of Imperial Beach.
“These investments will directly benefit residents facing food insecurity while supporting the local food economy,” according to a statement from Joel Anderson and Monica Montgomery Steppe, who made the proposal.
Montgomery Steppe said access to nutritious food “is a basic human right, not a privilege.”
“When families are forced to choose between groceries, rent and medication, our system is broken,” she added. “This action reflects our commitment to reversing the long-standing inequities in our food system and to investing in community-led solutions that empower residents to thrive.”
Anderson thanked Montgomery Steppe for her support, and said strong community partnerships are needed to meet greater needs.
“Our important bipartisan work will strengthen our local safety net and make a real difference for families in need,” Anderson added.
Although the Board of Supervisors is considered a nonpartisan voting body, Anderson is a Republican, while Montgomery Steppe is a Democrat.
According to both supervisors, federal food assistance to the San Diego Food Bank — the largest hunger-relief organization in the county — is down 40%, because of cuts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Food Assistance Program.
The $500,000 amount will help the Food Bank replace over 1.8 million pounds of lost food items, such as milk and eggs, for the 400,000 residents it serves every month, according to the supervisors.
“Beneficiaries of these services include students, seniors, veterans and working families,” they added.
The $250,000 grant for SunCoast Market Co-Op “will increase food access and economic development in a region where up to 60% of residents face food insecurity,” according to Anderson and Montgomery Steppe.
SunCoast has over 1,200 member-owners. To be located in the Silver Strand Plaza, the market is set to open this summer, the Coronado News reported.
Anderson and Montgomery Steppe said the grants are in line with the Food Justice Community Action Plan, which supervisors approved last December.
City News Service contributed to this article.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Supervisors OK $750K to support San Diego Food Bank, Market Co-Op )
Also on site :