Page 10 - Annual Report 2017
P. 10
Improving Access to Food
CalFresh Outreach
In Merced and Mariposa Counties, an 2017 Highlights
estimated 183,000 people may be eligible
for CalFresh (food stamps), but only about a California’s Drought Food Assistance
third of those who are eligible are Program (DFAP) was a temporary food
enrolled. Since CalFresh represents one of assistance program developed in response
the best tools we have to end hunger, the to the Governor’s Drought Emergency
Food Bank is working to increase enrollment Declaration in January 2014.
by integrating outreach events for families
and individuals into our programs. The DFAP program allowed us to
significantly impact the amount of non-
Advocacy perishable foods available throughout our
service area. We distributed over 132,000
The Food Bank advocates at the local, and boxes of food to our neighbors. The
state levels for policy reform and program program ended in Oct 2017.
improvements to assist people at risk of
hunger. Relying on research and data analysis, Food boxes were prepackaged, weighed
we identify opportunities for improving food approximately 30 pounds and contained
security for low-income residents in Merced and nutritionally balanced, non-perishable
Mariposa Counties; part of a comprehensive food, designed to provide food for a
effort to ensure that no one in our household of four people for about five
community goes hungry. days. Contents of the food box commonly
include: canned applesauce, carrots,
green beans, corn, tomatoes, tomato
sauce, vegetable and chicken noodle
soup, peanut butter, pinto beans, rice,
spaghetti and oatmeal.
