BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The CAPK Bakersfield location held a press conference to discuss food insecurity. They say numbers are at an all time high, and CAPK plans to change that with Hunger Action Month.
- In 2023, they were serving around 100,000 families monthly, now they are seeing numbers around 200,000 in just the first quarter of the year.
- You can gain free admission to the fair if you donate 6 cans of food at the door.
- Organizers are working to bring new technology to schools to help kids who deal with food insecurity.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
CAPK food bank held a community action press conference for September being Hunger Action Month. I'm Eric J. Dockery, your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter. Organizers said in January of 2023 they were assisting 100,000 families a month. In the first quarter of this year, they are seeing 200,000 a month.
The Community Action Partnership of Kern gathered on Tuesday to layout their upcoming plans for September.
Savannah Oates PR for CAPK said "Yeah, so today we kicked off Hunger Action Month in Kern County. The importance of this event is to bring awareness to food insecurity in our communities. Raise funding dollars so we can continue to serve the clients of Kern County, and highlight all the activities we have planned for this month."
Organizers tell me close to 25% of Kern County's population is food insecure, which equates to at least 100,000 people.
"It's not the people who are sitting on the street corner with a sign up saying I need food. That's some of it, and we do serve those people but most of the clients we serve. Most of the people we serve out of our food bank are the working poor. These are the people who are doing back-breaking work out in the community that are doing things for very low wages." said CEO of CAPK Jeremy Tobias
CAPK food bank is the main distributor but they work with partners throughout Kern County that supply food in their community. Savannah says "So that's why we work with over 150 partners through our network. We go into the communities we supply them with their needs and food and they are the hands and feet on the ground to pass it out for us."
Gilbert LaRoque a partner of CAPK distributions said "This warehouse! Look around at this warehouse it is just amazing the staff here, the volunteers that come in. We come in every week, to be sure that we have enough food to make sure we take care of the neighborhoods that we take care of. We have families that come in every day."
Organizers tell me they want to make Kern County the first county to end food insecurity.Last year they donated around 20 million pounds of food throughout the county... with even bigger plans they hope to roll out later this year.
Food Bank Administrator Kelly Lowrey said "It's still a little too early to make an announcement fully about but right now we're in the development of a new program. To put food lockers on school campuses around Kern County. To be the first in California to do that."
CAPK is asking for your help too, If you bring 6 cans to the Kern County fair, they will give you free admission to the grounds. For 23 ABC I'm Eric J. Dockery your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter.
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