More than 395,000 individuals across 240,000 families will be affected by the federal shortage of funds to pay CalFresh (aka SNAP and EBT) benefits for November.
According to 211 San Diego, a nonprofit that helps residents connect to resources, “We are reaching out to our food service partners to add new resources or update existing resources that offer available food pantries, meal programs, and distribution events.”
For information regarding immediate food resources, the County of San Diego advises residents to call 2-1-1, which is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
LOCAL FOOD AND NUTRITION RESOURCES
In Encinitas, one of the largest food and nutrition resource centers offers the only client choice pantry in North County. The Food and Nutrition Center at the Community Resource Center uses a ticketing system to streamline the shopping experience. Once the client is enrolled, CRC staff provides them with a numbered ticket; when their number is called, it’s their turn to shop.
The center offers three nutrition options including First Light, ready-to-eat items for those with limited cooking facilities; Client Choice Pantry, access to a full pantry of cooking items; and USDA Commodity Food Items, pre-bagged basic food items.
CRC staff advise arriving at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, to enroll in the programs. Proof of income is required, as well as identification. The center is located at 620 2nd St., Encinitas. Phone: 760-300-3238. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Check their website for a detailed description of the registration system at www.crcncc.org.
HEALTHY DAY PARTNERS COLLECTS NEEDED FOOD ITEMS
Health Day Partners is the brainchild of Mim Michelove, an Encinitas resident who created the nonprofit organization to “empower food insecure children, active military, veterans and marginalized populations to grown their own food.”
Her group has donated thousands of vegetable seedlings to local schools, and has taught hundreds of students and their families how to create their own vegetable gardens and grow their own food.
Over the past few years, she and her volunteers have created a new program, Homegrown Hunger Relief Donation Stations, which allow local gardeners to donate their homegrown fruit and vegetables to the project. The green donation stations are open on Sundays at the San Diego Botanic Garden, 300 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas; and every day, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at Harvest Yard, 425 Raphael Ct., Encinitas.
Gardeners can drop off their produce, and Mim and her volunteers deliver it daily to the Community Resource Center in Encinitas. Contact Mim Michelove at [email protected] for additional drop-off information.
According to Mim, “CRC is able to offer thousands of food products to the public, but a good portion of the food products are canned or packaged items. The produce collected from the Homegrown Hunger Relief Stations helps not only to provide items that participants might not be able to afford, but also helps to provide the nutrition that fresh fruits and vegetables can offer to our families.
MORE RESOURCES COMING SOON
We will be visiting other food resource centers in the county to keep you abreast of additional food pantries and donation centers.
Jano Nightingale is a horticulturist and Master Garden who loves to grow food. Contact her at [email protected].
