Stamp Out Hunger!

Article courtesy of Foodlinks America

In what is billed as the largest one-day food drive in the nation, donations of non-perishable foods will be collected by more than 230,000 letter carriers as they make their rounds on Saturday, May 8, 2010. The food will then be delivered to food banks and other emergency food providers. "Millions and millions of families are suffering--struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table," said Frederic Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers. "Food banks, pantries, and shelters need our help more than ever this year. As families count on them for support, they're counting on us and we will not back off on our commitment," he emphasized. Rolando noted that donations are particularly important now, as school food programs are suspended for the summer months and millions of children must find alternate sources of food. Total food collected in the postal union's "Stamp Out Hunger" event this year is expected to top last year's record of 7 million pounds collected. Donations from this year's drive are expected to push the overall "Stamp Out Hunger" total above one billion pounds since the annual drive began 18 years ago. The total currently is 982.7 million pounds.

For further details, please visit: www.stampouthunger.info

Volunteers Are Truly Golden

They say that "40 is the new 30, and 50 is the new 40." If that's true, then what does that mean for "60 and beyond?" In decades past, the retirement and "golden years" represented a period in life when our most active days were behind us. Yet nowadays, increasing numbers of seniors and retirees are devoting countless hours to volunteer activities that leverage the skills they developed in the workforce, and provide both social and personal enrichment to their lives. Here at the Food Bank, many retirees and seniors assist us with everything from challenging administrative work in the front office, to the rigors of processing deliveries and sorting donations in the warehouse. Our warehouse staff depends on the enthusiasm and tireless efforts of volunteers like Jim Kennedy and Dave Pratt; and recent retiree Bob Tousignant has become an invaluable asset to our Moveable Market program. As we bring this year's National Volunteer Week to a close, we'd like to extend a warm, "golden" thank you to the members of our community who have chosen to volunteer with us as their post-career, career! You are appreciated!

"We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give."

- Winston Churchill

Do Good & Have Fun By Volunteering With A Group!

"Seek to do good and you will find that happiness will run after you." James Freeman Clarke

In 1970, several Davis residents formed a volunteer backyard gleaning group to help feed hungry people in their community. Forty years later, their efforts have evolved into the Food Bank of Yolo County - an orgnaization that oversees the solicitation, storage and distribution of food from an established network and feeds more than 20,000 people per month. Today, groups of volunteers continue to play a major role in the Food Bank's mission to alleviate hunger. Groups like the members of Holy Rosary Church in Woodland who assist with our mass mailing, and corporate groups from Target and PG&E have made volunteering with the Food Bank part of their annual community service activities. Student groups like the UC Davis Leaders in Service Program have developed signature fundraising events for us, and countless student and social volunteer groups host food drives to benefit the Food Bank. Volunteering as part of a group is a fun and rewarding teambuilding exercise that fosters better interpersonal relations, while contributing to the overall improvement of the community. Thanks to all of the groups who've committed their time and energy to the Food Bank!

April 21 - Administrative Professionals Day!

Did you know that today is Administrative Professionals Day? National Professional Secretaries Week and National Secretary's Day was created in 1952 through the work of Harry F. Klemfuss of Young & Rubicam after Klemfuss recognized the importance and value the position had on his company and business. In light of this special day, and as part of our weeklong celebration of National Volunteer Week, we'd like to say a special "thank-you" to all of the Office Volunteers who provide vital administrative assistance to keep the Food Bank running smoothly. Theirs are the friendly voices you hear when you give us a call, and the friendly faces you see when you drop by to visit. Some are brand new, and some, like faithful volunteer Cleo Opera, have been donating their time and talents to us for years. On this awesome day, during this volunteer recognition week, and always, we SALUTE YOU!

National Volunteer Week

Hunger is a silent epidemic, affecting nearly one in six Americans. Though we cannot tell who is hungry from the clothes people wear, the jobs they work, or the color of their skin, 49 million people in this country do not have access to enough food for an active and healthy life. Last year, the Food Bank of Yolo County, a member of Feeding America, distributed more than 2 million pounds of food to 70 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other emergency food organizations. We would not be able to continue this critical work without the help of volunteers. As Food Bank Executive Director Jose Martinez notes, "Without the effort and time commitment we get from volunteers, our job would be more difficult and more expensive. Volunteers are a cherished and much appreciated part of the team in serving our community."

Please join us in celebrating volunteers throughout this week by sharing your thoughts and favorite volunteer stories in our comments section below!

Veggies for Kids

Did you know that less than 20% of schoolchildren meet the federal dietary guidelines for their daily requirement of vegetables? It's an age-old question that moms have been posing for years: how can we encourage kids to eat more veggies? To start, each Friday, the Food Bank will feature a healthy delicious recipe featuring our Veggie of the Month on our myspace page. But fixing this problem will take a serious team effort, so we want to hear from you! Chime in and let us know some of your best meal-time tricks for cleaning the veggies off your kids' plates!

Broccoli: Eat It, It's Good For You!

Did you know that broccoli is one of the most nutrient-rich vegetables on the planet? Vitamin C, Vitamin A (mostly as beta-carotene), and calcium are just a few of minerals that make up the foundation of broccoli's health benefits. Of course we know that Vitamin C helps promote healthy weight and supports the immune system, but, did you know that research shows that both Vitamin C and beta-carotene are important anti-oxidants that have been linked to reduced rates of cataracts, heart disease and several types of cancers? Stay tuned throughout this month for delicious recipes and more fun facts about Broccoli--our April Veggie of the Month!

NuCal Food Donates Over 700 Dozen Eggs!

The Easter Bunny came early to the Food Bank as NuCal Foods, Inc. donated 720 dozen eggs to us this week. For all you math whizzes, that's 8,640 eggs! NuCal Foods, Inc. is a family owned cooperative based in Ripon, CA and is one of the largest distributors of shell eggs in the Western United States. In addition to being a great source of protein, eggs are an incredibly versatile food. Our in-house chef Arturo regularly incorporates our Veggies of the Month (this month it's broccoli) into his specialty, nutritious egg and omelette dishes!

Arturo's Spinach Banana Leaf Tamales

We said we'd do it, and here it is! As we say good-bye to March, we're leaving you with a customized, savory receipe featuring our Veggie of The Month - Spinach - courtesy of chef Arturo!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound package of banana leaves, frozen or fresh (available at most Asian or Mexican markets)

2 pounds of already prepared tamale masa

Sauce Ingredients:

3 dried ancho chillies

1 clove garlic

2 whole cloves

2 whole peppercorns

Salt

Olive oil

Calabacitas (Mexican squash)

Filling Ingredients

Olive oil

1 cup chopped carrots (about 1 1/2 carrots)

1/2 cup chopped red onion (about 1/2 onion)

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 calabacitas, roughly chopped

2 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped (about 1 cup)

1 small bunch of spinach (about 15-20 leaves), rinsed, stems removed and discarded, chopped

Salt

12 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese cut into 3" x 3/4" x 1/2" pieces

Special Equipment Needed: A large stockpot with a steamer rack

PREPARE THE SAUCE

Working one chile at a time, use a paring knife to cut a slit all the way down one side of a chile. Open up the chile and remove the stem and seeds. Remove as much of the veins as you can. Reserve a few of the seeds or veins for adding later.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Flatten out the dried chillies as well as you can and place on the skillet heat. Press down on the opened chillies and leave for a few seconds. Turn the chillies over and heat a few seconds more.

Add the chillies to a small saucepan and add enough water so that they are just covered. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, until the chillies have softened and plumped up.

Reserving the soaking water, remove the chillies from the pan and place in a blender. Add the garlic, salt, ground pepper, ground cloves and 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid. Puree for 2 minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Pour the sauce that a sieve into a skillet. Add a tablespoon of olice oil to the sauce. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to maintain the simmer, cook for 10 minutes. Skim off the foam. Remove from heat.

PREPARE THE BANANA LEAVES

Cut away the thick edges of the leaves. Rinse the leaves. (If using frozen banaa leaves, rinse them under warm water to defrost.)

PREPARE THE FILLING

Coat the bottom of a very large saute pan with 1-2 TBSP olive oil. Heat on high heat. Add onions, garlic, and carrots. Saute for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes and calabcaitas. Saute for a few more minutes. Add 1/2 teasopoon salt. Add the spinach and cook, stirring until just-wilted. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of chile sauce to the vegetables.

ASSEMBLE THE TAMALES

Place the masa on the lighter green, smoother side of the banana leaf.

Lay out rectangular pieces of banana leaf. Place 1/4 cup of masa on the center of the banana leaf and press down on it with the palm of your hand to spread it out.

Place 1/2 tsp. red chile sauce on the masa, place a strip of the Monterey Jack cheese on top. Scoop some fo the vegetable mixture on top of the cheese and masa.

Bring together the two long sides of the banana leaf and fold over, tucking one edge over the other. Fold the two remaining sides under the tamale. Secure with a piece of kitchen string.

STEAM THE TAMALES

Place a steamer rack in the bottom of a very large stockpot. Add enough water to almost come up to the level of the steam rack (about 3/4 to 1 inch.) ine the top of the steam rack with banana leaves.

Carefully place the tamales in layers on the bottom of the pan. After all tamales have been added, add another layer of banana leaves, then cover the pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Steam cook for approximately 1 hour.

Yields approximaltely one dozen tamales.

Our Goal - Food Security For All

By Kevin Phipps

Special to the Davis Enterprise, published March 28, 2010

March is National Nutrition Month, a nutrition education and information campaign created and observed since 1973 by the American Diabetic Association.

This campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. The theme of this year's National Nutrition Month is "Nutrition from the Ground Up." For tips on building a healthful diet from the ground up, not only during National Nutrition Month, but year-round, visit the ADA's web site at http://www.eatright.org and click on "For the Public."

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in its report, titled "The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2009" estimated that more than 1 billion people (roughly a sixth of the world's population) are undernourished. This means that there are more hungry people in the world today than at any time in the last 40 years.

In the United States, 49 million people are "food insecure," meaning that, at times, they lack access to enough food to support an active, healthy life. And 14.6 percent of American households do not have access at times to nutritious foods. In the "Land of Plenty," this seems inexcusable.

And lest we think that food crisis is a global problem, without local implications or relevance, there are 13,000 adults living in food-insecure households in Yolo County (roughly equivalent to twice the population of Winters.) If food-insecure children are included, this figure could be at least doubled, if not tripled.

For 40 years, the Food Bank of Yolo County has pursued its mission to alleviate hunger. During times of economic downturn, demand for its services naturally increase. Under such conditions, the "safe" thing would be to maintain the status quo, turn inward and focus our resources on meeting basic program demands. But in 2009, the Food Bank of Yolo county was on of the first in the country to become an authorized vendor for WIC (the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.)

Partnering with WIC helps us to provide substantial quantities of nutritious food to people in need, and to couple that food with nutrition education sessions hosted in our new demonstration kitchen led by our Moveable Market and Nutrition Coordinator, chef Arturo Vargas.

Capitalizing on opportunities - at first mention, that might sound like something more apropos to Wall Street than to a nonprofit seeking to meet the needs of the food-insecure.

But when the ultimate goal is enhancing the nutrition and combating the hunger faced by 20,000 Yolo County residents monthly, an organization must think outside the box. And we hope that you will partner with us, or with another agency of your choice seeking to meet the needs of the food-insecure. Working together, we can make a difference during this time of economic downturn and food crisis, and especially during March, National Nutrition Month.

Kevin Phipps is the grant writer for the Food Bank of Yolo County.

Give Your Spinach 9 Lives!

As the month of March comes to a close, let's revisit some creative and delicious ways to enjoy our Veggie of the Month - Spinach!


*Eggs & Omelets *Sandwiches* Hamburgers*

*Pasta Sauces *Salads *Smoothies*

*Burritos *Casseroles *Tacos & Quesadillas*

Comment below & let us know which one of these is your favorite. Our chef Arturo will create a customized recipe for the most popular choice & we'll post it here on March 31st!

Arturo's Favorite Spinach Dip Recipe

Check out this great recipe featuring our Veggie of the Month - Spinach - brought to you by our resident chef - Arturo Vargas!

Ingredients:

1 cup diced red bell pepper

1 packet of frozen spinach (approximately 9 ounces)

1 8-ounce package of nonfat cream cheese

1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup of diced onions

1/2 cup of chopped cucumber

2 chopped avocados

1 clove of minced garlic

Directions:

1. Bring the cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the diced red pepper and chopped spinach. Bring water back to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and simmer until the red pepper is very soft--about 10 minutes. Drain the spinach and red pepper in a colander--pressing out as much liquid as possible.

2. Combine the cream cheese and spinach in a blender and mix for approximately 10 seconds. In a large bowl, add the minced garlic, parmesan cheese, diced onions, chopped cucumbers and chopped avocados. Mix everything into a soft mixture.

3. Spoon the spinach dip into a serving dish and serve with a tablespoon of finely diced red bell pepper sprinkled on top for garnish.

Tastes great on warm olive or cheese bread!

Healthy Beet Recipes

As promised, here are some healthy beet recipes from the FBYC Movable Market program:

Teriyaki Beets

Ingredients

12 small beets (or one bunch full sized, beets quartered)
4 Tablespoons butter or canola oil
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Directions

Boil or steam beets until almost tender (10-15 minutes). Rinse in cold water and cut in half. Combine rest of ingredients in small pan. Heat gently, stirring, until sauce is smooth. Brush sauce on beets and heat under broiler 5-10 minutes, basting frequently.

You can add one finely minced clove of garlic to this sauce if you like.

Roasted Beet, Peach, and Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients

2 beets, scrubbed
1 bunch mache (or any lettuce), rinsed and dried
1 bunch arugula or spinach
2 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup pistachio nuts (or any variety nut), chopped
1 (4 ounce) package goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup walnut oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wrap each beet in two layers of aluminum foil, and place onto a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the beets are tender, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Allow the beets to cool slightly, and then remove the skins. Let the beets cool to room temperature, or refrigerate until cold. Once cooled, thinly slice the beets.

2. Place the greens into a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced beets and peaches; sprinkle with the shallots, nuts, and goat cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk together the walnut oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper until emulsified, and pour over the salad mixture. Toss well, and serve.

Beet and Blue Cheese Spread

Cooking Light magazine

2 beets
2 apples, cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp. Horseradish or spicy brown mustard and lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400̊. Wrap beets in foil and bake for 1 hour or until tender. Cool and peel the beets. Place beets, apples, cheese and horseradish in a food processor, process until well blended. Serve with crackers or pita chips.

February Veggie of the Month is: Beets!

The Moveable Market program's veggie of the month is beets! Beets are high in the water soluble B vitamin, folate. Folate is best known for its importance in pregnancy and prevent of pregnancy defects. Folate is important in prenatal development (as well as all cells of the body) because it helps maintain and produce new cells. It is also important in red blood cell formation and maintenance of healthy circulation. Many Americans lack adequate folate in their diet. As a result, many foods have fortified folate, formic acid, added to them. Deficiencies in folate include mental fatigue, forgetfulness, irritability, and diarrhea. So eat your beets!

Stay tuned for more on the healthy recipes our nutritionist, Ryan, is preparing using beets. In the meantime, share with us your favorite way to cook or eat beets.

FOOD BANK SAYS WEIGH TO GO!!!

A recent study conducted by the California Food Policy Advocates shows that more than 55% of adults in Yolo County are either overweight or obese. As part of its ongoing commitment to make Yolo County a healthier community, the Food Bank of Yolo County is partnering with Cross Court Athletic Club, Woodland Healthcare and Subway Restaurants to combat obesity through an 8-week fitness and weight loss competition.

Inspired by the success of NBC’s hit reality show “The Biggest Loser” and Feeding America’s “Pound for Pound Challenge,” the Food Bank’s “WEIGH TO GO! Fitness and Weight Loss Challenge” will challenge contestants to lose weight over an 8-week period, and will encourage them to recruit sponsors to pledge a $1 donation for every pound the participant loses. All monies raised will be donated to the Food Bank of Yolo County.

Beginning January 29, 2010 participants can register online at: www.foodbankyc.org and download registration packets, including the WTG Participant Card which entitles you to special offers from partnering organizations like Subway Restaurants, Davis Athletic Club and Cross Court Athletic Club. You can also register via phone by calling Teryl Warren, Social Media and Volunteers Coordinator at 530.668.0690 x 106 beginning January 29. Please join us in our effort to promote fitness and healthy living throughout Yolo County!

Healthy Cabbage Recipes

As promised, here are Ryan's healthy recipes for the veggie of the month: cauliflower!

Purple Soup
2 cans chicken broth
½ head of purple cabbage
10 baby carrots
1 cup broccoli
1 cup sliced greens (spinach or kale works best)
1 Tbls minced garlic
Pepper to taste
Preparation: Bring the chicken broth to a boil and then add the carrots (chopped) and cabbage (shredded) and reduce the heat to a simmer. If using kale then cut along the midrib (the fibrous part of the leaf that runs down its middle) and separate the thin leaf from the thicker part. Then take the broccoli and cut the stalk from the crown of the broccoli. Chop up the broccoli stalk and the kale stalk, and add after about 5 minutes along with the garlic. When tender (about 5 more minutes) wilt the kale/spinach on the top and add the pepper to taste. Enjoy this super healthy soup!

Super-easy stir fried cabbage
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound shredded cabbage
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine or cooking wine regularly.
* Add the rice and meat for a meal!
Directions
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook, and for a few
seconds until it begins to brown. Add the cabbage until it is coated in oil, cover the wok, and cook
1 minute. Pour the soy sauce, and cook and stir for another minute. Increase heat to high, and stir
in Chinese cooking wine. Cook and stir until cabbage is tender, about 2 minutes.

Cabbage Weight Loss Soup - used in hospitals for overweight patients to lose weight quickly for surgery
Ingredients
5 carrots, chopped
3 onions, chopped2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
1 large cabbage, chopped
1 (1 ounce) dried onion soup mixture
1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, drained
2 quarts tomato juice
2 green peppers diced
10 stalks celery, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
Preparation: Place carrots, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers and celery in a large pot.
Add the onion soup mix, tomato juice, beef broth and enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer
until vegetables are tender. May be stored in the refrigerator for several days. It makes a lot of soup.

Help Us Name Our Store

We are pleased to announce that the Food Bank of Yolo County will be opening a retail store this year! It will be tailored to meet the needs of WIC customers but will be open to the public as well. We look forward to expanding our services to meet the needs of the community while enhancing access to nutrition.

While we work on laying the groundwork, we need your help in coming up with a name for our newest endeavor. We have a few guidelines listed below but otherwise we're open to your creativity!

• We do not want to use the words "Food Bank" in the name because we want the name to reflect that there is no crossover in products (ie. we will NOT be selling donated food!)
• While the store will cater to WIC clients, we are prohibited from using the word "WIC" in our name (not even as part of a word- wouldn't WICker Basket have been a fun name?)

Please submit ideas via any of our social media networks or email frances@foodbankyc.org.

January Veggie of the Month: Cabbage!

The Moveable Market program's veggie of the month is cabbage! In its raw state, cabbage contains iron, calcium, and potassium. High marks are given for its vitamin C content, and its fiber. Cabbage is also high in vitamins A, B1, B2, and B3.

Different types of cabbage vary in their nutritional strengths, but lengthy cooking tends to lower the nutritional value considerably. Red cabbage is higher in fiber, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and potassium than its green cousin. Savoy and Napa cabbages can boast they contain 20% of the RDA for vitamin A, while red and green cabbages contain considerably less. Bok choy contains the most vitamin A, supplying 60% of the RDA, although it is equal to red and green cabbage in other nutrients. Pickling is an excellent way to preserve the vitamin C in cabbage. In fact, old sea boat captains fed their crews a daily ration of sauerkraut for good health. Save the cooking water if you do boil the cabbage, as lots of the nutrients leach into the water.

Stay tuned for more on the healthy recipes our nutritionist, Ryan, is preparing using cabbage. In the meantime, share with us your favorite way to cook or eat cabbage.

Catholic Healthcare grants will aid programs for needy - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Catholic Healthcare grants will aid programs for needy - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

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Responding to Community Needs

An ambulance visited the Food Bank today, but that's no cause for concern- it was delivering over 2,600 pounds of food collected through the Yolo Food Drive conducted by a team from our local American Medical Response. All weekend, an EMT and a paramedic camped out in an ambulance outside the Home Depot in West Sacramento to see how many donations they could collect. They also engaged several local fire departments to contribute, including West Sacramento, Winters, Willow Oak, Yocha Dehe, Elkhorn, and Dunnigan. Thank you to AMR and everyone who participated, and especially to Amir Shariat and Mike Denman for planning the event and braving the weather to help our neighbors in need!

Students Swipe for Hunger

Thank you to the annual UC Davis Swipe for Hunger campaign for delivering 9,102 pounds of food to the Food Bank today! Through this program, UC Davis students can donate meal swipe dollars, which Sodexho Food Service then uses to purchase food at cost to donate to the Food Bank. This year we received pallets of tuna, peanut butter, and vegetables- some of our most-needed items!

Healthy Cauliflower Recipes

As promised, here are Ryan's healthy recipes for the veggie of the month: cauliflower!

Garlic Cauliflower

2 - 3 heads of small cauliflower (or 1/2 head large)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
a couple pinches of salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small bunch of chives, chopped
zest of one lemon
freshly grated Parmesan
salt

To prep the cauliflower, remove any leaves at the base and trim the stem. Now cut it into tiny trees - and by tiny, I mean most florets aren't much larger than a table grape. Make sure the pieces are relatively equal in size, so they cook in the same amount of time. Rinse under running water, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and fine grain salt in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cauliflower and stir until the florets are coated. Wait until it gets a bit brown on the bottom, then toss the cauliflower with a spatula. Brown a bit more and continue to sauté until the pieces are deeply golden - all told about six minutes. In the last 30 seconds, stir in the garlic.

Remove from heat and stir in the chives, lemon zest, and dust with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower Leek Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 leeks, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large head cauliflower, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 cups vegetable broth
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat, and saute the leeks, cauliflower, and garlic for about 10 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45 minutes.

Remove the soup from heat. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or hand mixer. Season with salt and pepper, blend until smooth.

December Veggie of the Month: Cauliflower

The Moveable Market program's veggie of the month is cauliflower! Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable along with kale, cabbage, and broccoli. The Cruciferous vegetables are known for their ability to decrease your risk of certain cancers. they have two main compounds: sulforaphanes which detoxify potentially harmful substances in your liver, and indole-13-carbinol which reduces estrogen (which can lead to prostate and breast cancers when in high amounts.). In addition to these two compounds, caluiflower contains lots of vitamin C, folate, dietary fiber, vitamin K, and potassium. With all of these health benefits it's a great idea to add cauliflower to your diet!

Stay tuned for more on the healthy recipes our nutritionist, Ryan, is preparing using cauliflower. In the meantime, share with us your favorite way to cook or eat cauliflower.

Bring Home Holiday Cheer care of the Food Bank of Yolo County!

Stop by Nestware (204 G Street in Davis) between now and close-of-business on December 20th to bid on this beautiful tree decorated by the Food Bank's very own Valerie Dennis! The auction is part of the Davis Downtown Business Association's Downtown Charitable Holiday Tree Project, in which fifteen local non-profit organizations have tabletop holiday trees on display at retailers throughout Downtown beginning today. The trees will be sold via silent auction to the community with all proceeds benefiting the non-profit that decorated the tree. Highest bidders will be contacted on December 21 to arrange for tree pick-up and payment.

In addition to FBYC, participating non-profit organizations are: STEAC, Davis Parent Nursery School, Yolo County Care Continuum, Davis Community Meals, Elderly Nutrition Program, Yolo Hospice, Explorit Science Center, U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, Yolo Adult Day Health Center, Yolo County CASA, International House, Davis Schools Foundation, Mothers of Preschoolers (University Covenant Church) and Yolo Family Service Agency.

54,000 People in Yolo County Struggle to Put Food on the Table

Report finds underutilization of federal programs aimed at alleviating food insecurity, costing Yolo County a $24,025,000 loss of benefits

A recently released statewide survey conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shows that 2,875,000 California adults report struggling with food insecurity, the ability to obtain enough food on a regular basis. Of the households surveyed in Yolo County, 13,000 adults reported suffering from food insecurity. Using data on the surveyed households, the California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA) captured an additional 41,000 people living in these households who are also likely to suffer from food insecurity.

“Food insecurity as reported by the adult head of household almost always indicates that the problem affects the rest of the household as well. It makes sense that when an adult is affected it’s likely other adults, if not the entire household, are also food insecure” says Ken Hecht, Executive Director of the CFPA. “Children may not be as vulnerable to food insecurity because parents will do their best to protect their children from these struggles—but they are not always successful”.

Food insecurity and poor nutrition are pressing problems in California. Unfortunately, one of the existing solutions, the federal Food Stamp Program, is severely underutilized. CFPA released a report today entitled Lost Dollars, Empty Plates which details estimates of lost food stamp benefits and the resulting economic impact for counties and the state. Based on these calculations the report estimates that $24,025,000 in benefits would have gone to eligible Yolo County residents if the participation rate had reached 100%. This is possible; states such as Missouri, Maine and Tennessee serve nearly all eligible households and California should implement strategies to do the same. Furthermore, the additional food stamp benefits would have generated approximately $44,000,000 in economic activity in Yolo County.

The report suggests that increasing Food Stamp Program participation will not only help Californians in need, but will also bolster economic activity; a win-win situation for all involved. “In times like these we can’t afford to let valuable federal resources go unused" says Tia Shimada, Nutrition Policy Advocate at the CFPA.

The prevalence of food insecurity indicates that the underutilization of the Food Stamp Program does not result from a lack of need. Rather, barriers to access and enrollment contribute to low participation in the Food Stamp Program. “One of many possible strategies to alleviate the occurrence of food insecurity is to focus on policy changes geared toward eliminating such barriers” says Shimada.

The report outlines solutions aimed at reducing barriers to food stamp participation, such as:
· Removing the asset test, so households don’t have to hit rock bottom before qualifying
· Providing a phone or a web based interview process to avoid burdensome trips to the food stamp office
· Joining 46 other states that do not require a finger print image to complete enrollment; and
· Reducing paperwork by converting to a semi-annual simplified reporting system

The Lost Dollars, Empty Plates report is available here.

For more information, contact Ken Hecht, 510-409-6436, khecht@cfpa.net or Tia Shimada. 510-407-2868, tia@cfpa.net