The hunger-stricken in San Benito County don’t usually sleep in
boxes or beg on the streets. But they exist
– even if they can’t be seen.
The hunger-stricken in San Benito County don’t usually sleep in boxes or beg on the streets. But they exist – even if they can’t be seen.
A new study released by the University of California at Los Angeles magnified the problem at the local level. The California Health Interview Survey, which details hunger-related problems in San Benito County and throughout California, was the largest state health survey conducted in the United States.
San Benito County, grouped with Monterey County, experiences an astounding number of adults unable to put food on the table, according to the study. Between the two counties, 29.4 percent of low-income adults suffer from “food insecurity” – defined by the CHIS as a “lack of assured access to enough food through socially acceptable means.”
Low-income in this case refers to families earning less than $36,000 per year, or twice the poverty level.
Among Central Coast regions, San Benito and Monterey counties possess the highest incidence of hunger problems among poor people, significantly higher than Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
The randomized study of 55,000 people throughout California, performed between November 2000 and September 2001, examined other categories relating to hunger, including high amounts among certain ethnic groups, pregnant women, children and the elderly. UCLA has not released those findings by specific county.
The study listed Latinos among the most vulnerable ethnic groups to food insecurity. Latinos make up 55 percent of people in Hollister and 50 percent in San Benito County.
Tom Larkin, executive director of Community Pantry in Hollister, said about 70 percent of his organization’s services go toward Latinos.
Community Pantry is a self-help program that supplements food to poor people in San Benito County. Larkin said the demand for the services increased dramatically this year.
In 2001, Community Pantry distributed 29,000 bags of food. Currently, the agency has already distributed 34,000 bags this year and it is projected to reach 40,000 by year’s end. That would be a 38-percent increase in demand.
“Basically, a great number of people here lost their jobs,” Larkin said. “They’re not making money.”
The major reason for a Latino prevalence, Larkin said, is the county’s large population of migrant workers.
“They work well below poverty level,” Larkin said. “I don’t know what most of them make per week or how much it costs them to live here, but if they’re hungry, we’ll feed them.”
Larkin said San Benito County is unique because of its high incidence of both wealth and poverty. Making the situation even worse is the county’s comparatively high cost of living because of the affluence. He said poor, migrant families remain here for a simple reason.
“Because it’s better than where they came from,” Larkin said.
The demand for holiday turkeys has risen significantly this year, he added.
Last year, Community Pantry needed 600 turkeys and Larkin predicted a demand for about 900 turkeys will be needed this year.
“We’re looking for a lot of donations for turkeys,” he said.
Other non-profits have also noticed an extraordinary demand in recent years for supplemental food.
In her 28 years with Jovenes de Antano, Pauline Valdivia – the organization’s executive director – has worked daily with county residents who suffer from hunger. She possesses a wide spectrum of historical knowledge on poverty in San Benito County.
Valdivia said people requesting food often have jobs, but still cannot afford to put food on the table. According to the study, food insecurity causes families to often forego rent, utilities or medical needs.
Jovenes de Antano, which specifically targets the elderly, hosts an annual Thanksgiving Dinner for seniors. This year’s event is Nov. 19 at Sunnyslope Christian Center and will feed about 300 people, Valdivia said.
The Tophatters Motorcycle Club in Hollister provides an additional turkey for each family after the dinner, Valdivia said and added that other local non-profit groups – such as Community Pantry and Salvation Army – generally step-up their efforts around the holidays.
But it’s not enough sometimes, Valdivia said.
“A lot of people here are re-locating out of the county,” she said.
Valdivia said much of the hunger problem would diminish with greater community involvement – specifically from churches.
“If all the churches in the community would do a little bit, we could meet a lot of the need,” Valdivia said. “I especially just can’t stand to see small children in this situation.”
Neither can Larkin and many other local philanthropists who – on a daily basis – witness the desperation and hear the stories of strife.
The Salvation Army in Hollister must also contend with an increased demand this year. About six weeks ago, the need for food increased greatly, said Envoy Ramon Garcia. Salvation Army usually gives away food one Friday each month. Now, because of the increased demand, they’re operating the donation service every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon.
“There’s a huge need right now for help with food,” Garcia said.
The problem also exists in other parts of California. Overall, the study found that more than 2.24 million low-income adults in California cannot always afford food on the table, and 658,000 experience hunger. The statewide average for food insecurity among low-income families was 28 percent, partly because of extremely high figures in the San Joaquin Valley.
A number of agencies funded the study, at a cost of $11.6 million, including the California Department of Health Services.
Valdivia said the nation possesses too many resources for hunger to be so prevalent.
“We live in a country where nobody should go hungry,” she said.
Larkin said the answers to the growing problem are not simple.
“We hope we’re doing something small to alleviate this,” Larkin said. “How do we go about the whole picture? I don’t know.”
For now, organizations such Community Pantry and Jovenes de Antano will continue searching for those solutions at the local level.
“If you give somebody half a loaf, it’s better than none at all,” Larkin said.
