Alameda County Community Food Bank

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Contact: Judyth Collin
(510) 636-4902

New Data Reveals Alameda County Leads State in Boosting Food Stamp Enrollment
—Participation Increases Nearly 20 Percent in 2006;
Food Bank First in State to Pilot Electronic Submissions—

27 August 2007 -- (Oakland, CA) –– Alameda County increased participation in the food stamp program from 2005 to 2006 by 19.4 percent, compared to the statewide average increase of less than 1 percent, according to new data just released by the California Department of Social Services. The increase is being attributed to successful food stamp outreach strategies and new application processes conducted by the Alameda County Community Food Bank in partnership with Alameda County Social Services Agency.

“We have hired bilingual staff who speak Vietnamese, Chinese and Spanish who have gone out into the neighborhoods to offer enrollment clinics at libraries, schools and food distribution sites,” said Elizabeth Gomez, the Food Bank’s outreach program manager. “Applying for food stamps can be daunting, so we help people understand the paperwork, assist in getting documentation in order and submit their applications for them. This year we are very excited to be able to offer electronic submissions, which are faster and easier.”

This March, the Food Bank became the first in the state to pilot a new electronic submission process, which allows scanned documents to be sent securely via the internet directly to the Social Services Agency. In 2006 there were 83,645 average monthly food stamp participants in Alameda County―60 percent of those who may be eligible. California currently ranks last among the 50 states in connecting eligible families to the federally-funded Food Stamp Program, which brought in $1.3 million federal dollars to Alameda County businesses last year.

The Food Bank also conducts monthly food stamp workshops at its site and provides over-the-phone food stamp screening to people who call the food helpline, 800-870-3663. The helpline experienced unprecedented spike in demand for emergency food this summer, an 80 percent increase over the previous summer.

On August 28th from 9 am – 2 pm, the annual meeting of the Alameda County Food Stamp Outreach Collaborative will take place at the Alameda County Community Food Bank, 7900 Edgewater Drive, where steps to maintain this progress will be outlined and explored. Attendees of the meeting will also be celebrating the 30th birthday of the Food Stamp Program and urging for renewed investment in this program from Congress as the Farm Bill, which contains the legislation for the Food Stamp Program, continues its path toward reauthorization. Food Stamp benefits have been eroded since the mid-1990’s and advocates are hopeful that this program will be restored to its full strength to continue on as the nation’s first defense against hunger.