Economy

Growing Unemployment Puts Strain on SD Food Bank

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, Hank Crook / Producer, Katie Orr / Anchor

Published April 15, 2009 at 5:37 AM PDT

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

How is the nation's economic crisis impacting the San Diego Food Bank? KPBS Metro Reporter Katie Orr joins us to talk about her recent report on the increased demand at the local Food Bank. We also speak to a Food Bank board member about how the organization is dealing with the increased demand, what challenges they are facing right now, and how they are expanding the services they offer through the San Diego Food Bank's Community Cares Project.

Maureen Cavanaugh: The problem of hunger in America is, sadly, not new. Before the economic downturn, advocates for the poor say some 25 million Americans each year used donated food and and soup kitchens to supplement their diets.

But right now, in San Diego, the number of people needing help putting food on the table for themselves and their families has increased substantially in just the past year. Agencies that help people in need say the demand for food assistance has increased 20-30…or 50 percent more than last year.

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Organizations like the San Diego Food Bank say they are working hard to keep up with the increased demand. And they are also trying to provide additional services for people who suddenly find themselves without a job and in need of some real help.

Guests

Katie Orr, metro reporter for KPBS News.

Jennifer Perkins, board member with the San Diego Food Bank.

Economy

Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

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Hank Crook

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Hank Crook was the producer for "KPBS Midday Edition" as well as Friday's "Roundtable on KPBS Midday Edition" and KPBS TV's "San Diego Week" until 2011. He produced shows about a wide variety of topics. Some of Hank’s favorite topics include: local politics, economics, the environment and anything sports-related. Hank graduated with a degree in journalism from San Diego State University, and has been a professional journalist in San Diego since 2003. As an SDSU student, Hank served as an intern for the KPBS Radio newsroom. Hank grew up in San Diego, and is an alumnus of Point Loma High School. When Hank is not at work, he likes to exercise, listen to music, hang out with friends and manage his fantasy sports teams.

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Katie Orr

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Having grown up in the San Diego neighborhood of University City, Katie Orr is back in familiar territory as KPBS’ Metro Reporter. She previously worked at WVXU in Cincinnati, Ohio where she served as a reporter and announcer, as well as host of the award winning Cincinnati Edition. She has also reported for WNIN in Evansville, Indiana and for Four Corners Broadcasting in Durango, Colorado. Katie has been recognized by the Indiana and Ohio chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists for her work as well as by the Hearst Journalism Awards and the Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards. Katie graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University in 2003.

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