Tuesday morning, the San Diego Food Bank distributed food in the Mountain View neighborhood for low-income seniors. The agency say 15,000 low-income seniors in San Diego are food insecure.
“Well the San Diego Food Bank is the San Diego region’s safety food net,” said Brigitte Wesselink, the VP of operations for the food bank. “And so knowing that we’re here, whether it’s a family or an individual facing ongoing food insecurity or if it’s a government shutdown or a flood, we are here to make sure that nobody goes hungry in San Diego.”
The food bank said the U.S. government shutdown has diminished the supply of food among people reliant on government paychecks or food assistance.
Wesselink added that the government shutdown is only one of the factors that make it hard for some people to get adequate nutrition.
“So right now we are facing a tough challenge. We see rising costs, therefore rising need and rising hunger, even before the government shutdown, all in the midst of facing government funding cuts,” she said. “And so we’re really relying on the community to chip in. We will be here but we need everybody’s support to make this happen for our seniors, as well as everybody facing food insecurity.”
The food bank said along with getting a box of shelf-stable groceries and fresh produce. Seniors at the food bank served in Mountain View could also receive help applying for CalFresh, California’s food assistance program. A program, the San Diego Food Bank said, that faces future uncertainty if the shutdown continues.
The Mountain View location is one of 70 places throughout the county where the San Diego Food Bank gives out food supplies.
