welcome to "comunidad del valle." i am damien trujillo. forgive me. i have a frog in my throat but this is such an important topic. my topic is hunger. we'll talk with different agencies trying to combat it, this is "comunidad del valle." we begin today with poverty and hunger in alameda county. susan batesman is with the food bank and ken adam, a client and also a volunteer with tri-city

volunteers and we'll talk about the different aspects of his life and how he got help and how he's helping out now. welcome to the show. good morning. >> good morning. >> tell us about it. >> this is a critical time for the alameda food bank. demand is very high and we're very concerned about serving all the families. >> we have video that was freshly shot. it's video of the sacred heart community services in san jose, but these images can be seen throughout the bay area, throughout the country, i would imagine. talk about your feelings, susan, when you see images like this, those who are in need, who have no choice but to ask for a helping hand. >> it's very striking right now. one in six alameda residents is using the alameda community food bank and we're serving 21,000 children each week. 21,000 children. >> that's heartbreaking on so

many levels. >> it is. and so many people find themselves turning to a food bank like ours who have never asked for help before. we have people who call and say i used to contribute but this year i need a helping hand. >> we're here because there'll be an annual food drive that we're going to talk about where you can help out, make sure everybody has a good meal for the holidays. ken, that's where you come in. tell us what motivated you, to maybe swallow your pride, if that's good description, i need help and i'm going to go get it. >> that's a good description. i had to swallow my pride. unfortunately i was out of work. when there's two working out of four and one loses his job or whatever reason it becomes a burden on the one and i was forced to go out and try to contribute the best i could.

that's when i was told about the tri-city food bank and i went there. fortunately for me i went there on day where it was a tuesday where fresh delivery was there, and i with us treated as if i had actually went into safeway and came up. i had food to get through the week and that was needed. >> for those who might be a little apprehensive about going out and getting the help. the help is there, it's just a matter of going out and fetching it. >> i would ask that they swallow their pride, you know. that's what the food banks are there for. they're there to help us. it did more than to help feed my families. i did all i can to forgive them

for it. >> i think that's crucial to the operation of the organization. >> we will welcome 8,000 volunteers to the alameda volunteer food bank. we absolutely couldn't exist without their help. >> do you find that in if last couple of years that need has increased. you see the unemployment rolls, you see what's going on on the job and find that more people are coming in and donations are remaining stagnant? >> so demand is at an all-time high. we need all the help we can get, and a great way for people to help us is to participate in this food drive, also contribute money because of the alameda community food bank, $1 dollaprs $5 worth of food. any small way they can help, we appreciate it. >> what do your shelves look like right now. >> >> we're partially filled. we have a lot more food to bring in. again, food drives are so critical to our success during this season.

>> where would your family be, keep, if it wasn't for tri-city or the organization and food banks in alameda county that are helping folks? >> well, it would be -- it's very difficult to say where we would be exactly. it's a struggle. in these times right now, the food banks all around the world and especially the ones where i am, they're very needed. so it helps to go farther, stretch the money a little bit more. again, we only have one income coming in other than the income that i'm now receiving. so it helps to have the food banks here and help with the participation of it. without the volunteers to help the operation, i mean they're limited too. they have a budget they work with. so they depend on volunteers

that come in and help out. >> well, good luck to you and your family. we have a couple of pieces of information weant to share with you. one is with the alameda food bank. w we're having a special food drive, nbc bay area's annual food drive. vef your area safeway stores, log onto the website. cvs pharmacy also. come on by and make your donations there. there is an address for abcbay area.com and nbc bay area. thank you so much. any final thoughts? >> just i hope people will participate. it is critical. we're at a high demand time and we need everybody else to help out. the neednext, the need in mateo and santa clara counties.

now we're going the talk about the need in san mateo and

santa clara. good morning. >> good morning. >> we have a common thread going here and the thread is hunger is everywhere and need is everywhere. tell us what we're seeing in san mateo and santa clara counties. >> it's true. we're serving more people than ever before. we're seeing people from all walks of life. since the beginning of the recession we're serving 50% more people than we were at the beginning of the recession. >> at the same time people have less to give so is less coming in, more going out? what do you see there? >> you know, i'm a firm believer that when people give a little something they will and they em pa these with their community

members. we'll see people who will even send in $10 and say it's not much but it's what i can do and you know what? $10 goes a long way. it's like at harvest food bank. we can provide 20 meals with $10 so every little bit counts and we really have faith that the broader community will reach out and support organizations like ours. >> one in six people in alameda county and sacred hard say once in seven people in santa clara county. it's embarrassing, up acceptable. and that's why there's organizations like yous. if there's a need, there's a gimp. >> absolutely. one of the things that i do really well is make sure they cover every nook and cranny that they can through the county. sacred heart addressing the need, obviously in san jose. addressing the need in gilroy and south county. that's the truth. the need is everywhere.

>> put a face on that? >> there's the working poor. >> absolutely. you hit the nail on the head. it's the working poor. most of the families coming to us for services are the working poor. they have jobs or hat jobs but aren't making a suitable living wage so they need assistance. it's not just the assistance they might get through the second harvest food bank or st. joseph family center. but it's like the cal fresh program which is the new name for the food stamp program here. >> for those to qualify, i mean the income level is so different when you live in california or iowa, let's say. so you have less of a chance making it earning that same amount of money in california that you do in iowa, hence you're getting longer lines and those lines aren't diminishing. >> that's true. the federal poverty level is

muchl, much lower than what it costs to live in santa clara county. there was a study just done that i think the average for these two counties, a family of four, costs in the range of $80,000 a year to support a family of four. # you can imagine that's a lot of money. if you do qualify, that's wonderful. you should definitely access those. but there are a lot of folks in between who may not qualify but they're at not able to make ends meet. that's where st. joseph and places like st. joseph food bank help. >> do they teach them to fish? >> the neat thing about agency like ours that are multiservice, you often times have to address that crisis situation or urgent

need. we grow and are revolved to make sure there are wrap aurpd services and other ways that people can grow and [ self-sufficient. you know, agencies like safe waway and others. while there's a heightened awareness, we want to say this is a need year-round. food insecurity is a need year-round. so the support that we get during the holidays, the heighten add i wareness is beautiful, but this is something that goes year round. >> you lead into my next question. you go into the sacred heart service and you go in january, june, the lines are the same. the need is the same na. >> that's true. >> if you can send a message to the folks although we appreciate them coming in during the holidays, what david said, the

need is need rear round it's definitely needed. whether it's through volunteering, through donations or through advocacy or even as something as it takes one minute to go on the facebook page and telling your friend that hunger exists or tweeting about it or donating canned goods. hunger is year round. this is a very important season for all of our organizations because we hope to raise at least our organization hopes to raise half of our revenue for the year during this quarter. so it's a really important time for people to be able to reach out and help and know that your gift will help this season but will also help throughout the year to help us feed one in ten people in these two counties. so one in ten people right now in san mateo and santa clara counties is receiving some of their food from second harvest bang and their network. >> if that doesn't break your heart, i don't know what will. >> let's give you a.

log on to make your donations. we're having our annual holiday food drive november 19th at bay area safeway stores. log on for more information. thank you for the work that you do and good luck. >> thank you very much. >> up next on "comunidad del valle," the an iere helping. kawanis, and we have other agencies.

there are sponsors and volunteers putting on a special food drive. we have susan with safeway and wendy thoemt with the junior league and nancy bray is with kawanis international. good morning and welcome to the show. >> good morning. thank you. >> this is probably one of the no-brainers that safeway has on its aroundual agenda. tell us about why you do this, why you open your doors to this type of endeavor. >> i think the word "no-brainer" is with a great phrase, but we couldn't do it without our partner like nbc bay area and

the volunteers. most importantly is the food bank. we know our customers resonate with the idea of giving back to the community and we've been very happy with how our customers have responded to help the food bank. >> and they know it's not just on these annual food drives that you all give. i know that a lot of these pantries send vans every morning, once a week to the different shops, see if there's anything left over you may bible to use. >> absolutely. whether it's bakery items, produce, deli items, we want to open the doors so we're not just throwing it out, giving it to the people. we're very thankful for the pantries. we're actually packaging food together and putting it into easy bags for customers to pick up and put into their carts. >> does it make it easier? >> i think it's a lot easier. you're there, trying to figure out what you're going to make for your family.

suddenly the thought i'm having a great thanksgiving the inner, i want somebody else wants to. pick up that 10 dollar bank. that's what we've found. the spirit of giving is very much alive. this helps people fool good about helping the food banks. >> tell us about your organization and the involvement and the whys. >> our members of the junior league love to impact the community and this is one of their favoret events all year, so we're glad to celebrate again and partner with safeway and nbc bay area. we love touches the community and seeing the families and children and helping those in need at this time of year. >> your organization is as powerful as the two that are here. the junior league, this is what you all do. >> this is what we do. this is one of the keys of the junior league of san jose is to impact the community and this is a great way to do it and our members are very excited. >> it's at center bone valley? >> yes.

>> tell us about your involvement. we work side by side with you outside the safeway store during the food drive. >> absolutely. we have been participating in nc's food drive almost since it started in 2005. we've been involved and we've raised hundreds of pounds of food and donated it. members all around the bay area participate. we have about 40 clubs participating this year. it's great to see the people come in and donate and feel good. we all feel good and it's a wonderful way to start the holiday season. >> there was a state hearing not long ago on how to eliminate hunger. doints know that we'll ever get there but how vital is it for kawanis to know that you're putting your grain of sand, if you will, into fighting this? >> it's huge. the need is everywhere. we heard that in some of the segments that there eels always people is people have need and

then help out in any way we can. >> is this one of those annual reminders you have with the junior league and the annual food drive? >> it is. it's great way for our members to reconnect with the community at this time of year and really be involved. >> and you kind of explained what the procedure is, but go over it one more time if you will. >> sure. absolutely. when you walk into any bay area store you'll see a wonderful display of bags, brown paper bag. everything inside from tuna to pasta to vegetables, cranberry sauce to gem pete involved. for 10 dlrts you pick up the bag, put it in your cart, hopefully you're going to have a volunteer from these organizations to say thank you, we're very happy to be a part of this. you go through the line, scan it and fay pay for it. $10 is reasonable, easy to add in. you go and put it in the barrel and our food bank partners will be picking up the barrels once a week. our campaign starts on november 16 and runs through december 24.

and as an added incentive, kraft, is throwing in some money for food banks, so those volunteers that do a great job of getting food banks their product, those food banks will be eligible for extra cash and of course cash is always needed as well as the food so we're happy to be able to help them with that. >> give us the dates again. >> you'll start seeing displays in our store on november 16 and the one volunteer day is november 19. bay area stores, nationwide as well and it will run through december 24 but we really found people really resonated around thanksgiving. that's the time of giving back, the holiday time. even though the displays will be there, the real big push for us is over the thanksgiving period. >> you know, we showed you video. i was at the sacred heart of community services. it tears your heart. you start counting your blessings.

give us your thought when you see the look on the face of the kids and the parents. >> it's amazing. a couple of years ago i was out in front of a store and a woman on her way in i asked her would she be willing to donate she said i don't know if i can right now. she comes back out hands me $20 and says, you know, not long ago i was a client of the food bank. i barely am making ends meet but i know how important it is to get food from the food bank. you hear those kinds of stories all day every year and it's really -- it's great that there's organizations there that can help the people who really do need them. >> very good. any file thoughts you might have? >> i'm excited about the fact of the opportunity. the junior league is having six stores this year, so we're very thrilled about that. and think there's a little competition among the six stores, so we encourage everybody to get out to their lockle safeway and support this cause.

>> we're so grateful to the nbc bay area and all the volunteers and food banks. this is truly a wonderful partnership, great collaboration, end result more food for those who need it in the bay area goes to the heart of those at sacred heart. >> remember it might be you on the other end of the line so feel free to give on that day or any other day to the different food banks that we're here for this show. log onto our website. up next on "comunidad del valle" a spe mci mariachi. you want to stay tuned.

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