LAST UPDATED: May 7, 2020
From the Office of Senator Scott D. Wiener (D-San Francisco)
Local food banks will likely remain the main point of access for food distribution as the crisis continues. The state is working to supplement food banks and community efforts to provide food by deploying 500 national guardsmen to distribute food. For families, school districts are continuing to help provide meals to children. Programs like Meals on Wheels are also helping deliver meals to seniors and other vulnerable populations.
Grocery stores are essential businesses and are open. Many grocery stores have agreed to specialty hours for seniors and/or those with serious health conditions. Call your local branch or check their website for the updated information.
Gov. Newsom has waived certain reporting requirements for CalFresh applicants - so beneficiaries won’t have to prove their income to continue getting food stamps. CalFresh recipients are also now able to order food online from Amazon and Walmart. Deliveries are free for orders over $35.
California has also launched Great Plates Delivered, which delivers three nutritious meals a day to vulnerable residents from local businesses/restaurants. For more details visit https://covid19.ca.gov/restaurants-deliver-home-meals-for-seniors/ [1].
San Francisco
Many food banks remain open, including the SF-Marin food bank and Meals on Wheels. St. Anthony's, Project Open House, and other organizations throughout the city are also providing food.
Go to https://sf.gov/get-food-resources to find food resources in San Francisco. The website is part of the Mayor’s effort to expand food access by expanding the capacity of existing food programs.
For families, SFUSD will provide free meals to all children 18 and younger during the school closure. Sites throughout SF will be open on Monday and Wednesday to pick-up several days' worth of meals to take home. To find a site, go to sfusd.edu/schoolfood.
If you are having trouble getting to a grocery store, the MTA has launched a program to provide subsidized taxi rides for people who need to run errands but have disabilities or are 65 and older. The “Essential Trip Card” will cover 80% of the cost of essential travel. People who qualify can apply by calling 311 during the day and mentioning the program. More information is at SFMTA.com/ETC.
San Mateo County
Links
[1] https://covid19.ca.gov/restaurants-deliver-home-meals-for-seniors/
[2] https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1S-55pwSKJyh4w-9zkbKMcEWFYmMujxLrwdKMGE7qlbg/edit#gid=0
[3] https://cmo.smcgov.org/covid-19-resources