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Committee extends Food Security Task Force and asks for clearer data on rising need
Summary
The committee advanced an ordinance to extend San Francisco’s Food Security Task Force, expand community-based organization seats and require an annual assessment; presenters said food stamp caseloads and pantry demand have risen sharply and the task force will help coordinate services.
Supervisor Sophie Maxwell's staff presented an ordinance on Jan. 7 to extend the Food Security Task Force for two years, adjust membership to increase seats for community-based organizations and direct the task force to produce an annual assessment of hunger in San Francisco. John Lau, staff to Supervisor Maxwell, said the task force has coordinated food programs and that the ordinance would formalize continuing roles for Department of Public Health and the Human Services Agency.
Representatives from the San Francisco Food Bank and the Department of Public Health described rising demand. Renzke Leind, associate director of policy and advocacy for the San Francisco Food Bank, said pantry demand was up "over 20% this time last year" and that the bank served "over 26,000 families in need of food assistance in November alone." Leo Wolf Ferrell, who manages the city's food stamp program, told the committee that online applications have increased access and that nearly 60% of households served were headed by women and about 30% included minor children.
Supervisor Chris Daley said he supported the ordinance but urged the task force to be more visible during midyear budget debates to advocate for programs such as home-delivered meals. Daley moved the amendment of the whole and the ordinance forward to the full Board; the committee agreed without objection.
