Although the “Great Recession” technically ended in 2009, hunger and food insecurity continue to be a problem for many Americans.   For the past 60 years, the trends we’ve seen at St. Anthony’s Dining Room have mirrored nationwide struggles with hunger.  

When we look at the number of meals we’ve served between February 15 - March 1 of 2011, we see a 15% increase over the in the number of meals we served over the same period one year ago.   What we see at St. Anthony’s isn’t a phenomenon specific to San Francisco or to the Tenderloin: hunger continues to be a problem in communities across the nation.   Recent  reports from the Food Research and Action Center and Feeding America show that large numbers of households across the country are having trouble affording enough food. 

An article in the March 28, 2011 San Francisco Chronicle explains more about the specific issues that are related to hunger in California.  One of the factors related to hunger in our state is the burdensome and unnecessary barriers to the federal Food Stamp program (named “Cal Fresh” in California) that are  in place in California.  Only 50% of the people who are eligible for Cal Fresh actually participate in the program, and burdensome administrative requirements like mandatory finger imaging and quarterly reporting requirements contribute to California’s low participation rate.

St. Anthony’s is working with anti-hunger groups from across the state to cut through the red tape and improve California’s Cal Fresh participation rate, and you can join us!   We’ll be bringing a busload of advocates to Sacramento for Hunger Action Day on Tuesday May 17, 2011.  We’ll talk to our legislators about hunger issues in our communities and legislation that can help reduce hunger statewide.  If you’re interested in participating, please email Colleen at crivecca@stanthonysf.org

Here’s a simple question with a complicated answer: Why are there so many seniors and people with disabilities who eat at the St. Anthony’s Free Dining Room?

In order to answer that question, you have to talk about SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income / State Supplemental Program) benefits and how they relate to hunger and poverty for low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

Here in San Francisco, there are about 45,000 low-income seniors, blind people,  and people with disabilities who receive SSI/SSP benefits.  SSI/SSP provides a very basic standard of living for people who are unable to work because of age, blindness, or disability.  Single SSI/SSP recipients receive $845 per month (93% of the federal poverty level), and couples receive $1,407 per month (115% of the federal poverty level).

SSI/SSP recipients in California are ineligible for the Food Stamp program (which has recently been renamed “Cal Fresh”).  As a result of recent budget cuts, SSI/SSP recipients have seen their benefit levels cut three times over the past two years, have lost their yearly “renters rebate” of $347.50, have had the cost of living adjustment to the state-funded portion of their grant eliminated, and have received no cost of living adjustment to the federally-funded portion of their grant in either 2010 or 2011.

Seniors and people with disabilities who receive SSI/SSP have also seen their out-of-pocket contributions to Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program increase and have lost access to dental benefits altogether.

Here at St. Anthony’s, we see many seniors who are able to afford rent in the small rooms in the single room occupancy hotels of the Tenderloin, but being able to afford food is a struggle. This struggle is explained in more detail in a recent report from San Francisco’s Food Security Task Force.

Unfortunately, Governor Brown has proposed a further reduction ($15 per month) to SSI/SSP benefit levels. If you’d like to speak out against this cut, visit our advocacy alert page.

Would you cut dinner to pay for lunch?  It doesn’t make much sense, does it?  Unfortunately, our legislators in Washington D.C. are entertaining this  choice right now: they’re thinking about paying for Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) by cutting the SNAP (food stamps) program! This would be the first time in the history of the program that Food Stamp benefits would be reduced. Should the bill that includes CNR pass in its current form, a family of four can expect their benefits to drop about $59 a month starting in October 2013.

CNR affects nutrition programs for children: the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Afterschool Snack and Meal Program, among others. On a typical day during the 2008-09 school year, 31.3 million children in more than 99,000 schools and residential child care institutions participated in the school lunch program.

SNAP/Food Stamps provides monthly benefits that can be used to purchase food at grocery stores and farmers’ markets. 41.8 million people nation-wide participated in the Food Stamp program in July of 2010.

Do you think it’s a good idea to cut food stamps (dinner) to pay for CNR (school lunch)? To make your voice heard, visit the website of our friends at FRAC (Food Research and Action Center), where you can send an email to the White House.

A recent article in the Washington Post has brought to light what many of us who are familiar with social services already know: millions of people across the U.S. are having to wait weeks or even months for food assistance.

The recession has contributed to huge caseload increases for the Food Stamp Program:  A record 40 million people currently receive Food Stamps nation-wide.  Administrative delays, bureaucratic red tape, and the overwhelming demand for food assistance have been offered as excuses for the backlog.   But the reality is that hunger can’t wait.  As one Food Stamp applicant stated, “I understand they say government is slow, but people are starving”.

When people can’t access government benefits like Food Stamps, where do they turn?  Anyone familiar with St. Anthony Foundation’s services knows the answer to that question: people turn to community-based emergency food programs like our dining room and our food pantry.   Is it any wonder that our Dining Room has been serving an unprecedented amount of food at the same time that our federally-funded Food Stamp program has seen unprecedented growth?

St. Anthony Foundation doesn’t just provide food for people in need.  We also work with our law makers to try to improve government programs that assist the poor.  Over the past five years that I’ve worked at St. Anthony’s, we’ve advocated to simplify, streamline, and de-stigmatize California’s Food Stamp program.  We’ve also worked hard to help our legislators and community members to understand that Food Stamps are an important part of our local economic recovery.  Food Stamps don’t just assist the poor; they also provide a stimulus for local food sellers as well as a boost to local government coffers.

A hungry community can’t be a strong and healthy community. That’s why we at St. Anthony Foundation provide immediate food assistance through direct services like our Dining Room. That’s also why we advocate for a stronger safety net and for a just society where all people have the chance to flourish.

But there sure is a relationship between these two words! Very noticeably in the Tenderloin, where St. Anthony’s is located, the relationship between the terms is often described as “Food Insecurity,” (aka “hunger”). Many of our group volunteers who typically are here with us for a day, will often mention that some of our Dining Room guests pull food out of the “bus bin” as volunteers are circulating in the Dining Room (cleaning up the tables as folks finish their meal, so that incoming diners can sit down to eat). An initial reaction to this can stretch anywhere from pity to revulsion, but a deeper look sometimes affords a wider understanding. My colleagues and I welcome the opportunity to discuss this (and other observations people share with us) in our reflection sessions with the group volunteers.

I’m among those who are fortunate enough to know where their next meal is coming from, and even beyond that—what it will consist of—usually ingredients of my choosing. Even though St. Anthony’s Dining Room is open 7 days a week, everyday of the year, many of our guests can not count on a meal later in the day, or know for sure that they’ll be able to make it back “tomorrow.” Unless it’s early in the month when a fixed income check might afford some options, uncertainty about food (and shelter too) are understandably heightened. Understandably, yes; acceptable? No way!

On the other hand, there is a very good vision of food access in the Tenderloin. (And “good” DOES rhyme with “hood”!). Every Wednesday and Sunday in Civic Center Plaza, the Heart of the City Farmer’s Market is full of fresh and culturally diverse foods for sale. Most of this farmer’s market offering is much less expensive than other neighborhood outdoor markets. Even though most Farmer’s Markets finally do accept Food Stamp cards, the value reaches much farther when the costs are more affordable. And, there are NO big grocery stores in the area. South of Market you can find some, and you can find many little “corner stores” that are best known, most of them, for selling other than healthy, affordable foods. There are a few mini-marts, and there are some corner markets that do not sell alcohol, but these are far and few between. There aren’t so many household kitchens in the TL either, although folks may have microwaves, hot plates, rice cookers or crock pots.

I know my own spirits are lifted anytime I walk through “the Heart of the City” Farmer’s Market, which is always brimming with people who actually live in the ‘hood,’ doing their shopping, able then to easily push cart their groceries home. The “security” that comes from community being nourished in this way, is a signal recipe for serving the common good-in-the-hood!

From the Dining Room to the ‘Market, and back again, Bon apatite, my friends, for justice!

Reno D. and friends just donated almost 8,000 pounds of turkey, along with a cash donation. Happy Holidays, Reno!

The savory aromas gathering for days; the friends and relatives visiting, the Macy’s Parade and Football on TV … the contentedly full belly and turkey enhanced deep sleep; and the leftovers! Ah the leftovers, stuffing and turkey soup, potatoes, pies, and cranberry sauce … I’ve been among the fortunate, for many years of my lifetime, to expect and enjoy this description of late November.

Unfortunately, there have always been those who are not able to count on such celebrations & fare. And as we know, that number–not only for Holiday meals but for any meal, is dramatically on the rise. Just this past Tues, Nov. 17th, the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer featured a story “More Americans Facing Hunger.” The US Dept of Agriculture has issued new findings of a 14.6% increase in the number of Americans having trouble putting enough food on the table between 2007 and 2008: that’s 50 million people, one in every 7 American households!

Sadly, hunger is nothing new. St. Anthony Dining Room has been serving meals for almost 60 years, but the increase in numbers of those being served is a very strong and visible call for renewed efforts to address the shortfall in resources and in access to them. The wonderful benefactors of St. Anthony Foundation–those donating their time and their treasure, continue to “come to the table” to serve and to offer their utmost and to share in the exchange of giving and receiving.

I remember a time not so long ago in my own life, when Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that America experienced not so much material poverty, as it did spiritual. I don’t think we could find many folks today who know that material poverty has “gained ground on the American landscape”. There’s no question that we long to see and that we work together, not only to address this change, but to reverse it.

Over this past decade especially, my experience of Thanksgiving has been quite different than those earlier years, and perhaps it has become in some sense more in keeping with “the legend” at least, of the original Thanksgiving: the celebrating, the sharing, that insures not only survival, but that cultivates community. To all of our wonderful benefactors–volunteers, donors, guests, clients, staff, friends, and family, bless you for keeping the “Giving” in thanks. And for doing that not only during the Holiday Season, but every single day.

I just can’t away from my love of food; that’s one of the many reason I appreciate St. Anthony’s. Knowing that everyday the Dining Room is coming up with amazing nutritious and healthful meals that are served free to anyone that is hungry is a wonderful thing to be connected to. Over the years, we have had the joy of connecting with other Bay Area folks that appreciate good food as well- Annie Somerville from Greens, Anthony Myint from Mission Street Foods, the folks at Slow Food, and now Anya Fernald, formerly with Slow Food and now with liveculture, (the people that put on the amazing Eat Real festival in Oakland a couple weeks ago). We will be working with Anya, with volunteers and other neighborhood residents on canning freshly made berry jam which we can use to make PBJ’s in the Dining Room for children. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it …

Monday, August 24th – Split Pea Stew
Split pea soup has been known as a hearty favorite since Greek and Roman times as early as 500 to 400 B.C, as documented by Apicius, Rome’s first cookbook author of the ancient world. Since the pea was commonly grown throughout Europe, variations of split pea soup has been present in the regional cuisine of Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom. Our Split pea Stew is thick and flavorful, with vegetables and potatoes balancing out this delicious and hearty stew.

Tuesday August 25th – Beef and Orzo
Orzo pasta is special, melon-seed shaped pasta that is perfect for juicy sauces or delicate salads. Our Beef and Orzo is topped with tangy feta cheese for a Mediterranean delight.

Wednesday August 26th – Baked Halibut
Halibut is the largest of the flatfish and one of the largest of the saltwater fish with catches that weight in at up to 660 pounds. Its firm white meat and delicately sweet flavor, combined with its high nutritional value, make it a favorite among fish lovers. Our halibut is baked and served with fresh tomatoes and corn sauce.

Thursday August 27th – Lemon Chicken Ginger
Although it was well-known to the ancient Romans, ginger nearly disappeared in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Thanks to Marco Polo’s trip to the Far East, ginger came back into favor in Europe, becoming not only a much-coveted spice, but also a very expensive one. Combined with lemon, it makes a delicious and zesty marinate, perfect for chicken, and especially delicious when complemented by rice and veggies, as it will be today in the St. Anthony Dining Room.

Friday August 28th – Ham Chowder
You’ve heard of clam chowder, but ham chowder is even tastier! Rich, flavorful, and filling, this hearty chowder is made with potassium rich potatoes simmered with ham and vegetables. MMMMMMMmmmm!

Saturday August 29th – Turkey Tetrazinni
Who knows if Turkey Tetrazinni was really named after the Florence born opera singer who gave a free concert in San Francisco after declaring to a contentious New York court, “I will sing in San Francisco if I have to sing there in the streets, for I know the streets of San Francisco are free.” What we do know is our Turkey Tetrazzini is worth singing about, with its rapturous whitesauce covered noodles tempered with succulent morsels of turkey throughout.

Sunday August 30th – Sesame Soy Braised Pork
“Braising” is a special way to cook meat by browning it in fat, then simmering it in a small quantity of liquid so that its flavor becomes very full and the meat very tender. The word comes from the French braiser, from braise, or hot charcoal. Today’s special Sunday meal is pork braised in sesame and soy sauce, for a salty and delectable flavor.

What’s cooking at St. Anthony Dining Room!

Monday,  June 15th  Thai Pork Curry
Pork Simmered in coconut curry sauce

Tuesday,  June 16th  Black Bean Tostada
Beans, cheese, rice and salsa with a flour tortilla

Wednesday,  June 17th  Turkey Posole
Simmered in green sauce with hominy

Thursday, June 18th  Tuscan Bean Stew
Hearty vegetarian stew with Potatoes, Fennel and Zucchini

Friday, June 19th  Chicken with Mole
Mild chili sauce with sesame seed and cumin

Saturday June 20th  Biscuits and County Gravy
Ground Pork sausage and white gravy

Saturday June 21st  Lentils with Ham and Spinach
Served with rice