Public Domain Picture: 20111031-FNS-LSC-0092

The San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB) Community Kitchen student team cut potatoes that will be cooked and mashed for Kids Cafe meals being prepared by Community Kitchen Class 35, in San Antonio, TX, on Monday, October 31, 2011. Other meals prepared by the Community Kitchen include the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program for children during summer months, and the year-round Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP). Because they cater to mostly Hispanic communities the use of dried red chili peppers remain in close reach (center). The Community Kitchen trains the unemployed, feeds the hungry, and generates public support and revenue through social enterprise. They began creating meals in 2003, with volunteers and the Community Kitchen students looking to further themselves in a promising culinary career. Over 16-week course individuals receive basic culinary training, similar to portions of an accredited culinary institution, to develop their culinary job skills. The program is lead by Chef Rudy Garza and his team of instructor chefs, present training and work demands that build useful job skills. The students focus their new talents on the preparation of meals for area shelters, kids cafes, summer feeding sites (www.summerfood.usda.gov/), and catering services. San Antonio Food Bank is a non-profit organization that serves as a clearinghouse by receiving and storing truckloads of donated food, produce, and other grocery. SAFB distribute these items to over 500 service agencies that help people in need. “We couldn’t do what we do without our partnership with USDA’” said President and CEO Eric Cooper. He continues, “We are privileged in partnering (with the USDA) to feeding kids, through the summer, with the Summer Food Service Program, and throughout the year, with the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP). Then in our approach to feeding seniors, we partner with USDA in the Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and the Senior Farmer’s Market (Nutrition) Program. And then work to bring all our (needy) parties together with our Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Outreach. You know, once families have access to food we believe it is important to educate them. Through the support of the SNAP-Education Program we are able to educate them during their time of need. With this comprehensive approach we are really able to get the right food, at the right amount, at the right time, to needy families throughout our community – which allows us to feed the fifty-eight thousand we do, each week.” SAFB serves 16 counties in Southwest Texas and states, “Nearly one out of every four children and one out of every five adults in Southwest Texas lives in poverty and has difficulty meeting basic nutritional needs.” According to SAFB, sixty-five percent of the people requesting emergency food have children. “Additionally, the senior citizens and those living on a fixed income generally have limited funds for a consistent grocery budget.” San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the nation with surrounding farms and ranches near its rivers and water supplies. When available they provide fresh surplus produce. Other commodities come from the food industry and manufacturers. The major food brand companies that for various reasons have surplus commodities donate it to SAFB. The United States Department of Agriculture donates commodities through programs such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), while Texas farmers supply fresh produce to their Fresh Produce Program. Public donations come in the form of money, food, volunteer time, and advocacy. Their fleet of trucks to pickup and deliver food as needed. USDA photo by Lance Cheung www.fns.usda.gov/fns/ www.fns.usda.gov/snap/ www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/tefap/ www.summerfood.usda.gov/

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May 11, 2014