Improve Fresno food programs, close hunger gap

The article about Farm to Family and other farmer and packer initiatives to feed people was encouraging (Dec. 17).

Fresno State students and Fresno Metro Ministry are recovering food to prepare meals for the needy. Community Food Bank and others distribute boxed food and hot meals. These organizations provided over 21 million pounds of food in the Fresno-Clovis area this year. Fresno Unified School District provides over 16 million meals annually to students. Fresno County allocates over $400 million in food stamps a year so people can buy food.

Despite these efforts, a recent hunger survey found a 26 million-pound food gap between people’s nutritional needs and the amount of food they buy and receive free.

We need to monitor nutritional needs and prompt CalFresh and other public programs to adjust food assistance funds according to need. We also need to schedule deliveries of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and fruits and vegetables from food manufacturers, packers and farmers to food banks and charities each month to meet the nutritional needs documented by hunger surveys.

I advocate a needs-based supplemental food system that delivers the right amount and type of food people need to stay healthy.

This story was originally published December 24, 2015 at 8:46 AM with the headline "Improve Fresno food programs, close hunger gap."