San Francisco, CA – The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is partnering with the San Francisco African American Faith-Based Coalition (SFAAFBC) and Livable City to distribute holiday turkeys and trimmings to households in need during the holiday season at the fourth annual Feeding 5,000 holiday giveaway event.
Staff and volunteers will be joined by more than 60 local community organizations to distribute turkeys, fresh produce, and trimmings to faith and community-based organizations, which will then be delivered to more than 6,000 San Francisco households in need of assistance. Holiday boxes will be distributed this Saturday, December 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness, 601 Cesar Chavez St., San Francisco, CA 94124. Media members are welcome to cover this event between 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Additional questions can be directed to DPH.Press@sfdph.org.
"We know food security is an issue in San Francisco and we continue to emphasize healthy nutrition in our programs and services,” said Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco Health Officer. “We are thankful to work alongside our many community partners and advocates to ensure access to healthy foods and critical food resources.”
In San Francisco, the community food landscape has changed over the past three years with more community-based organizations getting involved to feed those in need. Prior to COVID-19, the San Francisco Food Security Task Force estimates one in four San Franciscans were at risk of hunger due to low income. While the City has shifted away from an emergency public health response to COVID-19, San Franciscans, particularly historically underserved communities, continue to feel the impacts and challenges of reduced income as well as high food and living costs.
“Health disparities in San Francisco remain, especially in our Black African American, Pacific Islanders and Native American communities,” said Veronica Shepard, Director of the Office of Anti-Racism and Equity at the SFDPH. “With our strong partners in this ongoing effort, this event remains an important opportunity to connect and serve those most in need.”
Food insecurity can contribute to the widening racial health disparities, increasing the risk of multiple chronic conditions, and exacerbating existing physical and mental health conditions. Feeding 5,000 started in 2020 at the height of the pandemic and stems from many faith-based congregations’ practice to host food pantries. Since then, the Feeding 5,000 staff and volunteers have distributed to more than 22,700 households.
“Over the years, the demand for food assistance has continued to grow, revealing an alarming trend that cannot be ignored,” said Jonathan Butler, Director of the San Francisco African American Faith-Based Coalition. “As a city, we need to delve into the underlying causes and address them through comprehensive policies and long-term solutions. Feeding 5,000 is not just about providing immediate relief, it serves as a call to action for our city to ask why hunger persists in our community.”
The San Francisco African American Faith-Based Coalition is a health and wellness collaborative of more than 21 churches committed to advocating for the needs of the underserved Black people. Collectively, the members of the Coalition represent more than 6,000 6,000 African American residents. For more information or to get connected, reach out to: info@sfaafbcoalition.org.
"Livable City believes in an equitable San Francisco," said Livable City Executive Director Darin Ow-Wing. "We must support our most vulnerable residents now through activities like Feeding 5,000, while also working on long term changes to restore affordability and diversity to San Francisco. We can achieve this only by working together, and so Livable City is honored to be part of this amazing tradition."
The Feeding 5,000 event is a collaborative effort among City departments and community organizations. This year, the SFDPH and SFAAFBC have partnered with Livable City with support from the Dream Keeper Initiative to continue this annual tradition.
Livable City is a San Francisco non-profit advocating for policy changes, programs, and projects which make San Francisco more sustainable, livable, and equitable. For information can be found at: https://www.livablecity.org/
The Dream Keeper Initiative is a citywide effort launched in 2021 to reinvest $60 million annually into San Francisco’s diverse Black communities. This Initiative is part of Mayor London N. Breed’s roadmap for reforming public safety and addressing structural inequities in San Francisco. For more information, visit: https://www.dreamkeepersf.org/
In addition, this collaborative effort includes: African American Arts and Cultural Center, Alice Griffith Community, Bayview Senior Services, Bayview YMCA, Community Awareness Resources Entity, Delta Sigma Theta, Department of Aging and Adult Services, Dream Keepers Initiative, FIVEPOINT, HOPESF, Hunters View, Sunnydale, Alice Griffith, Community Wellness Program, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Rafiki Coalition, Recology, Regional Pacific Islander Task Force, Requity/Peace Parks, Samoan Community Development Center, The San Francisco Chapter of The Links Inc, San Francisco Recreation and Parks, San Francisco City College, San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Fire Department, San Francisco Human Rights Commission, San Francisco Unified School District, Southwest Community Corp, Sojourner Truth Foster Family Services, Hunters Point Family, Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Lynette Mackey’s Korner, Ms. June 4 Health, Inner City Youth, Fa’atasi, Excelsior Strong @ Casa, SF Parent Coalition Southeast Health Center, The Warriors, Phi Delta Kappa, Felton Institute (Mother Browns) UCSF, Having Pride Uniti Resources, and more than 21 faith-based churches.
The event only distributes food through faith and community-based organizations; it does not give donations directly to individuals.