GB Magazine May 2020 | Page 40

FEEDING SAN DIEGO Stepping Up in Time of Crisis B efore the coronavirus global pandemic, one in eight people in San Diego County, including one in six children, faced hunger. Now with the unprecedented business and school closures, social distancing policies, wage loss and economic disruptions to our community, hunger is on the rise. Feeding San Diego is working around the clock to respond to the rapidly increasing need for food assistance throughout the community. The organization has implemented drive- through food distributions, launched regional emergency sites, increased food at rural mobile panties and is working closely with community partners and school districts to provide meals for children and families affected by school closures. In March, Feeding San Diego increased meals provided through its distribution center by 51 percent compared to the prior year, while experiencing a 66 percent decline in local food rescue. “What we see at our distributions is more than the distribution of food. We see the distribution of hope and the distribution of optimism that we can get through this by working together to provide the resources our neighbors need to keep their families nourished,” Vince Hall, CEO of Feeding San Diego shared with GB Magazine. 40 GBSAN.COM | MAY 2020 Community