The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and the San Francisco African American Faith-Based Coalition will give away more than 5,000 turkeys at a holiday food giveaway and health information resources on Saturday.
More than 50 faith-based and community organizations will come to the third annual Feeding 5000 event to collect turkeys, bags of holiday food, gift cards and health resources to distribute among more than 6,700 San Francisco households this holiday season.
“Addressing food insecurity and ensuring healthy nutrition is an important issue for San Francisco. SFDPH is working along with many other expert groups and advocates to serve communities most at need,” said Dr. Susan Philip, Health Officer at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. “Everyone has a right to quality foods, not just during the holiday but all year round. Our programs and services are not only meant to feed people for one day but secure ongoing, continual access to nourishing and culturally appropriate foods. Good health for all requires food security for all.”
Many San Franciscans, particularly Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, continue to be affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19 and lack the access to healthy foods. Before the onset of the COVD-19 pandemic, one in four San Francisco residents were at risk of hunger due to income shortage, and the San Francisco Food Security Task Force estimates that the number of people struggling has risen since the onset of the pandemic.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the city to give back to our most vulnerable communities. This will make a deep impact on the inequality many BIPOC residents feel and is rooted in social determinants of health,” said Veronica Shepard, Director of the Office Anti-Racism and Equity at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. “The incredible partners that have joined this initiative are taking a stance on food insecurity and providing resources that people can easily connect to.”
Food insecurity causes stress, trauma, poor diet quality, and malnutrition and is a major contributing factor to the widening racial health disparities in low-income BIPOC communities. Food insecurity also increases the risk of multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, and exacerbates existing physical and mental health conditions.
“We are incredibly excited to see massive community support behind Feeding 5000,” said Jonathan Butler, Director of the San Francisco African American Faith-Based Coalition. “It truly does take a village to make an event like this happen. We are grateful for the continued support from the city —all of the communities we touch will greatly benefit.”
The San Francisco African American Faith-Based Coalition is a health and wellness collaborative of more than 21 churches that is committed to advocating for the needs of the underserved Black people. Collectively, the members of the Coalition represent more than 6,000 San Franciscans.
Feeding 5000 event is a collaborative effort among numerous city departments and community organizations.
This event only distributes food and resources through faith-based and community-based organizations; it does not give donations directly to individuals.
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