BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — September is Hunger Action Month — and food banks across the country are stepping up. Here in Kern County, CAPK kicked things off with a press conference, shining a spotlight on the growing need for food assistance.
food in·se·cu·ri·ty: the condition of not having access to sufficient food, or food of an adequate quality, to meet one's basic needs.
Kelly Lowery, CAPK Program Administrator states,“Hunger Action Awareness Month is a time to recognize that there’s a challenge in front of us — because the lines are long.”
Local leaders and nonprofit partners are joining forces — aiming to mobilize the community and raise awareness about hunger close to home.
“A month where we bring in additional focus and work to eradicate hunger," Lowery continues.
CAPK has organized six days of action, with events like a community blood drive, Hunger Action Day, food drive and luncheon, community box-building, and Feed the Need at the Kern County Fair.
And yet — despite Kern’s agricultural strength — hunger remains a critical issue.
The Central Valley ranks in the top 2% of U.S. agriculture regions, producing over 600,000 acres of crops — from almonds to pistachios and grapes. But 1 in 5 children and seniors in
Eric Arias, United Way President / Kern Food Policy Council Board Member:
“You can’t help but look at that data and say, if we can feed the rest of this nation — and the rest of the world — what’s stopping us from feeding ourselves and our neighbors?”
To drive the message home, Arias launched the #EmptyPlateChallenge, encouraging people to skip a meal, volunteer, or donate — all to raise awareness.
“So we can better understand what it’s like for those families who don’t have enough to eat — for themselves, their children, and others. It’s all too familiar for families here in Kern," Arias explained.
CAPK is also investing in new tracking technology — designed to improve how food is received, measured, and delivered — making their response more efficient than ever.
“It will enable us to have better data, better information — so that we can make better decisions about making sure every pound of food gets to the right place at the right time,” Kelly Lowery states.
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