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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-02-09; City Council; ; Food assistance in Carlsbad and the O’side Kitchen CollaborativeMeeting Date: Feb. 9, 2021 To: Mayor and City Council From: Scott Chadwick, City Manager Staff Contact: Holly Nelson, Homeless Program Manager holly.nelson@carlsbadca.gov, 760-931-3824 David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer david.graham@carlsbadca.gov, 760-434-5992 Subject: Food assistance in Carlsbad and the O’side Kitchen Collaborative Recommended Action •Receive an informational report on food assistance in Carlsbad and the O’side Kitchen Collaborative •Discuss and, if the City Council wishes, provide direction on addressing food insecurity Executive Summary Food assistance needs have risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the city has adapted its programs to address the needs of the populations it previously served and has made more resources available to organizations addressing emergency food assistance needs. The City Council has also discussed and given direction to staff on gaining more understanding and options for partnering on addressing food assistance needs, including options for partnering with the O'side Kitchen Collaborative. There is no single repository of information on food insecurity in the region or in the city. This report provides additional research on food assistance in Carlsbad based on engagement with organizations that provide food assistance in the city, an analysis of data regarding services that are being provided and an overview of how other North County cities are addressing food insecurity. The options for increasing the city’s food assistance to one or more providers are provided for council’s discussion. Discussion Food insecurity and the need for food assistance is an issue that is found in urban, suburban, and rural areas across the United States. Food-insecure households are not necessarily food insecure all the time. Food insecurity may reflect a household’s need to make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or medical bills or purchasing nutritionally adequate foods. Food policy experts believe some of the greatest risk factors associated with Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 1 of 14 food insecurity are poverty levels, individuals living with a disability, seniors, and children under the age of 18. During the COVID-19 pandemic the need for emergency food assistance added to the already existing hunger and food insecurity needs. Before COVID-19, the San Diego Food Bank, one of the county’s largest distributors of food resources, served an average of 350,000 people per month. From mid-March, when the county declared a state of emergency, through the height of the pandemic the Food Bank had to nearly double its capacity to feed an estimated 600,000 people per month. The Food Bank’s staff attributed the increased demand to the rise in unemployment and the financial hardships many families are facing throughout the region because of COVID-19. Though unemployment rates have improved in the county, from 15% during the height of the pandemic to 8%, with the City of Carlsbad’s rate standing at 6.6%, the economic impacts of the pandemic are still significant, with economically vulnerably populations being the most impacted. Non-profit organizations and governments, including the City of Carlsbad, have acted to address the food needs of affected populations. In addition to ramping up food delivery services to seniors during the pandemic, the city has used supplemental CARES Act funding through the Community Development Block Grant program to support organizations dealing with pandemic related needs including food assistance. On Aug. 18, 2020, staff provided the City Council with a memorandum that described the existing programs providing food assistance in Carlsbad and evaluated a proposal by the O’side Kitchen Collaborative, a nonprofit organization currently focused on feeding those in need during the pandemic, to provide food assistance in the city. During the discussion, council members expressed interest in receiving more research on the issue of food assistance and approved a minute motion directing staff to bring back options on continuing a partnership with the collaborative. In response, city staff engaged with food assistance providers, the collaborative and other agencies that have data or conduct programs to address food insecurity. This engagement effort includes: • Participating in the monthly North County Food Policy Council meetings • Meeting with North County Food Leaders, a volunteer group that supports food assistance in North County, to review its GIS tracking system on food needs and resources • Providing targeted communication to service providers regarding the funding through the supplemental CARES Act funding • Meeting with 2-1-1 San Diego on Carlsbad data trends Since the City Council motion, additional resources through the city’s Community Development Block Grant program have been deployed to support organizations, including the O’side Kitchen Collaborative, that are providing meals to the food insecure. Engaging with food assistance providers to support those in need The city had not conducted an assessment of the current service providers and level of food assistance being provided to people in Carlsbad in recent years, if at all. So, an important step in providing additional information to the council was to engage with the existing service Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 2 of 14 providers. On Nov. 4, 2020, city staff held a virtual two-hour meeting and roundtable with 30 service providers, 18 organizations, and many key stakeholders involved in addressing food insecurity in Carlsbad. Key insights from that meeting include: • Food assistance needs have increased since the beginning of the pandemic • Increased resources have been made available to meet the need • New data resources are available to project the risk of food insecurity • Some organizations reported sustainable streams of funding while others were concerned with their funding ending before food needs could be filled • Food is available but there’s a lack of a robust distribution network A summary of the meeting (Exhibit 1) includes some key takeaways: • Having the city convene the meeting and roundtable was valuable because it enabled the providers to share and discuss the ways they were addressing food insecurity • Service providers were able to get connected with regional resources they did not know were available • Resources to meet the needs of vulnerable populations likely exist, but identifying those in need and distributing resources to them remains a challenge • Connecting vulnerable populations with existing resources such as CalFresh offers one opportunity to use existing resources to fill a need City staff concluded the meeting with an overview of the funding made available through the CARES Act on Oct. 23, 2020, so that the organizations could apply for and potentially be awarded resources to help meet food assistance needs in Carlsbad. All the service providers expressed gratitude for the city for hosting the meeting and said they would like to continue to meet on a regular basis. Digging into the data on food assistance needs Countywide, the San Diego Hunger Coalition reports that prior to the pandemic, one in every 10 seniors, 50% of individuals with a disability and one in five children experience food insecurity. Though countywide data does not reflect the specific situation in Carlsbad, it is important to recognize that this is a challenge being faced by the region. It’s also a state and national challenge. To better understand the food assistance needs in Carlsbad, city staff engaged with 2-1-1 San Diego, the County of San Diego, Carlsbad Unified School District, and organizations that provide food assistance in the city. Numerous organizations and agencies are involved in addressing food insecurity, which means the data regarding need and filling the need is difficult to define. Some organizations define their food assistance by the weight of assistance provided, some by the number of meals and others by the number of people served. Based on engagement with known providers in Carlsbad, staff developed a chart of the organizations, the services they provide and the way they are addressing food insecurity needs (Exhibit 2). Defining the need is also difficult. Demographic information can be used. Activity data such as the number of calls for service can provide some visibility on need. Surveys and other research can also provide insights. Some data is provided here but staff recommends that if the City Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 3 of 14 Council wishes to better understand the food assistance needs in Carlsbad, funding should be allocated to contract with a qualified research partner to conduct an assessment of Carlsbad specific needs and how those needs are being met. One of the main resources and information hubs for community, health and disaster services in the region is 2-1-1 San Diego. City staff have met with the organization to get its insights on food assistance activity. For 2020, the organization reported: • 508 calls from residents with a food specific need in 2020 • 2-1-1 provided 3,231 referrals to CalFresh, emergency pantries, local services agencies other non-profits that provide food • The zip code that generated the most calls was 92008 2-1-1 food need call demographics 2-1-1 food need calls by ZIP code There was an indication that many of the callers were concerned about ongoing food insecurity or they were concerned that they would run out of food. To better understand the actual need, further research with a professional organization would be necessary. Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 4 of 14 State programs to address food insecurity CalFresh is the largest food safety net program in the State of California. The program provides qualified households and individuals the financial means to stretch their food budgets to buy nutritious foods for a better diet. According to the latest data from California Department of Social Services Profile, a tool used to track CalFresh recipients throughout the state and local counties, the State of California had 132,419 households enrolled in San Diego County. Carlsbad residents filed 1,183 CalFresh applications in calendar year 2019 and 2,086 CalFresh applications between January - October 2020. There was a 57% increase in applications in 2020 over the 2019 calendar year. The month of April 2020 had four times the number of enrollments with 462 applications filed than any other month previously reported. The Carlsbad ZIP code with the highest number of CalFresh enrollments in 2020 was 92008. CalFresh 2019 to 2020 (Jan.-Oct.) comparison Connecting those in need with county, state, and federal assistance programs is a way that the city can address food insecurity. Through engagement with the community and food service providers staff continue to hear that CalFresh is a resource that remains underutilized because eligible individuals and families may be unaware of their eligibility and have difficulty navigating the system. Particularly during the pandemic there are additional resources available and expanded eligibility for certain programs. This is an area of opportunity that can be explored. Local resources to address food insecurity Staff have identified at least 12 organizations that provide food assistance in the city including serving children, individuals experiencing homelessness, low-income, families, seniors, medical- fragile adults, and any person in need of resources. Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 5 of 14 The resources being provided fall into three sub-categories: • Food pantries and distribution programs • Prepared meals • Home Delivery Services The organizations distributing food resources are comprised of the city, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and grassroots organizations. The majority of the resources are proportionally split between prepackaged goods through food pantries, prepared meals, and meal delivery services. There appears to be an even distribution of food resources that are open to the community on both weekdays and weekends. In looking at 2-1-1 San Diego data, 1 out of 4 people are referred to weekend resources, indicating that there is a larger demand for weekend resources than available supply. It is promising that the city has four food resources that are open to residents on the weekend which are a blend of food pantries, prepared meals, and home delivery services. When looking at the city as a whole, there appears to be at least one service provider located in each Carlsbad zip code and there are three meal delivery programs that serve the entire city. However, the hours of operation at food assistance locations are not uniform. Prior to the pandemic, there were no food resources in the 92009 ZIP code. The Coastline Church identified this lack of resources and created a grassroots, drive-thru program in March 2020. The program initially set out to serve 100-150 families, but the program has been so well- received by the community that they now have over 800 families consistently showing up every weekend to receive food. The San Diego Foodbank reports that the Coastline Church is the third largest single day food distribution site in Southern California. The program serves anywhere between 28,000 – 70,000 pounds of food on a single day. The city is collaborating with these food providers and will continue to serve as a regular convener and resource for food assistance programs. Identifying and understanding gaps in food assistance by physical location and hours of operation is an area of opportunity. By connecting with the organizations that are providing food assistance, strengthening relationships, and identifying potential gaps in coverage the city will be well positioned to adapt to address the needs of the food insecure. School meals With 10,923 students enrolled districtwide, the Carlsbad Unified School District operated a food distribution site at Carlsbad High School for families and children under the age of 18 that ran from March – August 2020, prior to the modified reopening of schools. The program distributed meals five days a week and staff would hand out prepackaged meals to any child 18 or younger. The district distributed on average 262 meals per day. Staff saw the participation rate nearly double to 455 people on the days when they partnered with a grassroots organization that handed out a box of local fresh produce and dairy. Districtwide, 19% of the student population are eligible for free to reduced-price meal services. Families who are receiving CalFresh, CalWORKS, Medi-Cal, Supplemental Security Income, or Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 6 of 14 Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations benefits are automatically eligible for the free lunch program through the California Department of Education. Families are also eligible for free or reduced meals based on federally established guidelines regarding household size and income. Because of the current pandemic, the federal government has lifted these eligibility requirements and has allowed all children regardless of income levels to participate in the program. The school district reported that the daily participation rate districtwide for students from September-December was 1,015 individuals for breakfast and 1,130 for lunch. The district continues to distribute meals to all families at most school locations four days per week. To ensure ease of access and minimal contact, they have created a curbside midday pickup at various school sites where parents and students can come during scheduled school lunch breaks to pick up food. Carlsbad addressing food insecurity The city has also funded food assistance through its Community Development Block Grant program, as other cities in the region have done. On, Jan. 19, the City Council approved supplemental CARES Act Community Development Block Grant funding to two organizations that provide food assistance. Feeding the Soul, the organization that runs the O’side Collaborative, was allocated $100,000 to buy surplus foods from local restaurants to serve food insecure residents through their network of distributors. This includes Caring Hearts, All God’s Children, Tyler Court and others. The funding covers the cost of food preparation, packaging, and distribution. Additionally, $10,000 in funding was approved for Meals on Wheels. This funding would allow for the organization to provide 75 clients with its services to low income homebound seniors. Services include wellness checks, referrals for other social services, and meals provided on a sliding scale based on need and at a discounted price. O’side Kitchen Collaborative The O’side Kitchen Collaborative is feeding at-risk community members by preparing packaged ready-to-eat and frozen meals to support local seniors, immunocompromised, and otherwise food insecure individuals. The nonprofit works with a network of pre-existing non-profit organizations that provide food support and offer in-kind meals free of charge. From March to July, the collaborative provided 17,393 meals to people living in Carlsbad. Of these, 2,504 were provided to seniors, 2,925 were provided to sheltered homeless, 5,884 were provided to unsheltered homeless and 6,240 were provided to food insecure families. Staff have engaged with the collaborative regarding food assistance needs in Carlsbad. The organization was invited to the Nov. 4 service provider meeting and encouraged to take advantage of the CARES Act funding . As noted above, it was awarded $100,000 to prepare and package meals for distribution through its network. The collaborative is one of a number of organizations that are providing food assistance in Carlsbad. If the City Council wishes to increase its support for organizations providing food assistance, then funding would need to be identified, procurement rules would need to be followed, and multiple organizations that are currently serving people in Carlsbad would be interested in competing for funding. Options for continuing to partner with the collaborative on providing food assistance to people in Carlsbad are to continue to use the competitive process that exists in current programs such as the Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 7 of 14 Community Development Block Grant program, or to identify funding and develop a new program. Evaluation of North County cities’ efforts Staff engaged with other North County cities to see how they have addressed food security needs during the pandemic. Four out of the five cities reported food insecurity was one of the top needs for their jurisdictions. Each city’s level of response ranged from funding senior meal programs, such as Senior Centers and Meals on Wheels Programs, to conducting community- wide surveys and investing funding in food distribution, fresh produce boxes, meal preparation and food recovery programs. Each city’s efforts are highlighted in more detail below. Oceanside The City of Oceanside has the most robust food service program in the North County. At the start of the pandemic, it conducted a community-wide survey through Twitter, Facebook, and in-person surveys at their four resource centers which remained open throughout the pandemic. The city received 125 responses that highlighted the need for food resources. The city expanded its contract with Serving Seniors, a nonprofit organization that serves low- income older adults, to enable more deliveries by vehicle. It partnered with local farmers who had access to resources and distributed fresh produce at various city-run locations. City staff also partnered with local restaurants and distributed hot meals to local senior homes and sobering services. The city approved a $600,000 agreement with the O’side Kitchen Collaborative that expanded the organization’s hot meal program. About 200,000 pounds of food was recovered from food that would have otherwise gone to waste from restaurants to produce meals during the pandemic. Staff also allocated federal community development funds to these projects. Vista The City of Vista allocated $317,841 from its Cares Act funds to address food insecurity. The city’s focus was on providing meals to homebound seniors through the Meals on Wheels program and additional to-go lunches and dinners through the city’s senior nutrition center seven days a week. Both programs saw a significant increase in the demand for meal delivery services because of seniors with medical vulnerabilities, social distancing concerns, and quarantine/isolation needs. The city also created a fresh produce program to distribute to disabled and low-income seniors 60 years and older in response to COVID-19. San Marcos The City of San Marcos has not dedicated any federal community development funds for food- related projects. Staff reported they are using all of their Cares Act funds for rental assistance. They have not performed any assessments on the impact of food scarcity in their community during the pandemic but stated this need may change based on the city’s upcoming needs assessment for fiscal year 2021-22. Escondido The City of Escondido allocated $25,000 to the Meals on Wheels Program and $56,110 to the Senior Nutrition Program through its regular FY 2020-21 Community Development Block Grant funding. The city provided an additional $221,835 in funding to Meals on Wheels and the Senior Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 8 of 14 Nutrition Program through its Cares Act funding. This money goes to pay for additional cost of food preparation and meal delivery. Encinitas Meals on Wheels received an additional $25,000 for personal protective equipment and to meet increased food delivery needs The Meals on Wheels contract is $34,607 from Community Development Block Grant funds and serves 80 low-income, seniors living in Encinitas. Food assistance options In addition to federal, state, and county programs, the city targets its current food assistance programs through direct assistance to seniors and funding to organizations serving food insecurity needs through its Community Development Block Grant program. During the pandemic. the city ramped up its efforts in both of these areas by providing increased food delivery services and with the City Council approval of supplemental CARES Act funding for food assistance to Meals on Wheels and the O’side Kitchen Collaborative. Additional options to address food assistance needs that the council may wish to discuss include: • Partnering with local organizations and agencies on better defining the food assistance needs in Carlsbad • Identifying opportunities to enhance collaboration and coordination with current and potential food assistance providers • Evaluating opportunities to connect those in need of food assistance with non-profit and government programs that address food insecurity • Allocating resources for food assistance through the annual budget process and conducting a competitive process consistent with the city’s procurement procedures Fiscal Analysis No additional fiscal resources are needed at this time. Next Steps Staff will continue to engage with food assistance providers to monitor and identify needs and opportunities to address food insecurity, provide food assistance to vulnerable seniors through the Senior Center’s meal program and engage with food assistance providers when any additional funding or collaboration opportunities arise. If the City Council wishes to provide direction on pursuing one or more of the options listed above, city staff will return to the council with an analysis and recommendation on implementing their direction. Environmental Evaluation (CEQA) This action is not a “project” as defined in California Public Resources Code Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) because it involves administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. The action being considered is a report that provides an overview of the various actions and programs that the city has implemented in response to the COVID pandemic and provides a description of possible future actions that could be considered, which on their own accord will Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 9 of 14 not cause a significant environmental impact, so this activity is not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3). Public Notification and Outreach Public notice of this item was posted in keeping with the Ralph M. Brown Act and it was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours before the scheduled meeting date. Exhibits 1. Food Insecurity in Carlsbad: Identifying Potential Needs and Opportunities meeting agenda and summary 2. Carlsbad food assistance providers and services Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 10 of 14 Food Insecurity in Carlsbad: Identifying Potential Needs and Opportunities Wednesday, Nov. 4 10:30am to 12:00pm Zoom Meeting Meeting Goal: Discussion with service providers about potential food insecurity in Carlsbad. 1. City welcome and introductions •Holly Nelson, Senior Homeless Program Manager •David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer 5 min 2.Organization introductions •Introduce organization and attendees •Organization mission, services, service territory and population served 40 min 3.Roundtable •Prior to the pandemic, was an unmet food assistance need identified in Carlsbad? •Have you seen an increase in demand for service during COVID-19? •If so, have you been able to meet the demand? •Are the resources you are using to meet increased demand sustainable? •If you are unable to meet increased demand what resources do you need? •Is there one concrete recommendation you would make to address food insecurity in Carlsbad? 25 min 4.Roundtable takeaways •Participant reflections on the discussion •Summary and next steps 10 min 5.CARES Act Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) •Nancy Melander, CDBG Program Manager •NOFA Application https://www.carlsbadca.gov/services/depts/ns/grants/cdbg.asp 10 min 6.Close Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 11 of 14 Meeting Summary Key stakeholders from Carlsbad and other neighboring jurisdictions that provide food assistance to residents met virtually on Nov. 4. The meeting included 30 service providers, 18 organizations, and representatives from various local nonprofits, faith centers, city governments, school districts, affordable housing complexes, grassroot homeless organizations, businesses, county programs, policy advocates and food banks. The two-hour meeting provided insights on existing food assistance services and potential food assistance needs in the City of Carlsbad. The meeting began with information regarding potential food insecurity in the city and the primary meeting goal, which was to collect information regarding existing food assistance services, potential gaps in service, and COVID-19 related food assistance issues and opportunities. This information is important to provide a thorough report to the City Council to fulfill the minute motion approved Aug. 18, 2020. Staff referenced two assessments that were conducted in April 2020 by LeSar Development Consultants and the research of existing food assistance from the “Food Assistance for Carlsbad Residents” City Council memorandum issued on Aug. 8, 2020. Following the introduction and overview information the participants provided an introduction of their organization or association, services that they provide, and population served. Staff proceeded to have an organic discussion around six prompting questions: • Prior to the pandemic, was an unmet food assistance need identified in Carlsbad? • Have you seen an increase in demand for food services during COVID-19? • If so, have you been able to meet the demand? • Are the resources you are using to meet increased demand sustainable? • If you are unable to meet the increased demand, what resources do you need? • Is there one concrete recommendation you would make to address food insecurity in Carlsbad? All participants in attendance reported they had seen an increase in food assistance needs since the beginning of the local public health emergency due to the coronavirus. They also reported that there had been in increase in resources to meet those needs and an increase in food-related services since COVID-19. The San Diego Hunger Coalition representatives reported they have created a model that uses census data to project the number of people in a given location who based on various factors were at risk of being food insecure. Verbally, they reported that the model showed that the number of people at risk of being food insecure had grown in Carlsbad as it has in the region during the pandemic. Staff will follow up with the organization to get more information about the model and its projections. Considering various barriers to people receiving food assistance, several service providers discussed providing unrestricted food assistance to the community with no questions asked about the need. The funding availability to provide food assistance without qualifying criteria varied by organization. A few service providers reported they had sustainable funding streams through charitable donations, federal funds, or CARES ACT funds, but many organizations said they have limited funding or resources that would end in the upcoming months. Carlsbad Unified School District representatives reported they have a robust meal program onsite and funding until June 30, 2021, but since many of their students are attending classes remotely, there has been an overall decrease in food distributed onsite. They believe the need is still there but discussed the Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 12 of 14 barriers of trying to distribute to students and their families in the community. In this case there are food resources available but the distribution of the resources is a challenge. Other agencies echoed similar concerns around food distribution and problems getting the resources to those in need. One Oceanside Kitchen Collaborative staff member said, “The resources are there; the trouble is connecting the dots and getting people connected to the needs. As a nonprofit it is hard for us to do that and provide community outreach.” Many other organizations voiced the difficulty of doing outreach, targeting the right population and educating the community on what resources are available to them. There was general consensus that food resources exist, but identifying those in need and distributing food resources to them was a challenge. Staff with San Diego Food Hunger and the North County Food Policy Council both reported that CalFresh, a federal food assistance program, is a historically underutilized resource that may offer relief to families facing food insecurity. Service providers asked the city for help in educating community members on what existing resources are available to residents. In further discussing populations in need participants identified the Latino community as vulnerable and underserved. This included school-aged children and their families, seniors, those concerned with the stigma of needing assistance, those who haven’t traditionally accessed resources, the homeless population, and those who are not eligible for federally funded programs. The takeaways from the roundtable discussion were that having convenings, like the meeting, was valuable to connect the service providers and provide visibility on what resources were available. During the meeting there were also service providers that were getting connected with resources that they did not know were available. There was general agreement that the city could provide a valuable service as a convener. Another takeaway was that resources likely existed to meet the needs of vulnerable populations but identifying those in need and distributing resources to them remained a challenge. Additionally, the connecting vulnerable populations with existing government programs was identified as an opportunity. The food assistance portion of the meeting concluded with a summary and subsequent actions which includes providing information regarding potential food assistance at an upcoming City Council meeting. In addition to gathering information, the city used the meeting to connect the service providers with resources including funding through the Community Development Block Grant Program. Staff providing an overview of the Community Development Block Grant CARES ACT Funds for COVID-19 Relief Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), which was released on October 23, 2020. There were so many questions that the meeting extended an additional 30 minutes to provide answers and information regarding the funding opportunity. All of the service providers expressed gratitude to the city for hosting the meeting and said they would like to continue to meet on a regular basis. Staff will continue to evaluate the information collected and expect to present an informational report on this item at a future City Council meeting. Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 13 of 14 Feb. 4 2020 Food Assistance Organizations Carlsbad, CA Exhibit 2Organization Frequency Location Service Pop.Service Metric Food Resource Church of the Advent & faith based orgs.Daily 399 Carlsbad Village Drive Homeless & Low-income 60-70 per day Prepared meal Showers of Blessings Tues.3256 Madison St.Homeless 45 per day Prepared meal Carlsbad Senior Center Mon. - Fri. 799 Pine Ave Adults 50+100 per day Prepared meal Interfaith Community Services Mon. - Sat. 5731 Palmer Way All 100 per day Prepared meal The Coastline Dream Center Sat. 2215 Calle Barcelona All 800 families Prepared meal Christian Credit Counselors M-F 5838 Edison Pl Low-income 19,000lbs. per yr.Food pantry Pilgrim Church 8-4 2020 Chestnut Ave All 23,900lbs per yr.Food pantry MAAC Project Laurel Tree Apartments 3rd Tuesday 1307 Laurel Tree Ln Low-income 60,465lbs per yr.Food pantry Meals on Wheels 3rd Tuesday Home Delivery Adults 60+53 per day Meal delivery Grocery Givers Mon. - Sat. Home Delivery Families 150 per week Food Pantry Great Plates Delivered Fri.Daily Adults 65+ 53 clients Meal delivery Oceanside Kitchen Collaborative & Partners Varied Various Homeless & food insecure Meal delivery Meal delivery Feb. 9, 2021 Item #9 Page 14 of 14 Tammy Cloud-McMinn From: Sent: To: Subject: Agenda item #9: OIi Rasa i::a Oganda Item ft q For the Information of the: D RA <dra805@gmail.com > CITY COUNCIL Tuesday, February 9, 2021 12:20 PM Date,)/ C)/-l l CA .....--CC ~ City Clerk CM __ie-ACM _:::::-ocM (3) ;Y 2/9/21 Public Comment Agenda ltem#9 FOOD ASSISTANCE IN CARLSBAD AND THE OCEANSIDE KITCHEN COLLECTIVE FOOD ASSISTANCE IN CARLSBAD AND THE OCEANSIDE KITCHEN COLLECTIVE-1) Receive an informational report on food assistance in Carlsbad and the Oceanside Kitchen Collaborative; and 2) Discuss and, if the City Council wishes, provide direction on addressing food insecurity. (Staff contact: Holly Nelson, Police Department and David Graham, Administrative Services) Comment: Dear Councilmembers, It is important that our City provide financi_al assistance to organizations that have successfully addressed food insecurity. Oceanside Kitchen Collaborative (OKC) has done an outstanding job of providing meals to their homeless population and has financial backing of the Oceanside city council. I have 3 requests: 1. To have the City of Carlsbad support our own local organizations (example: Feeding All God's Children) that already support the issue of food insecurity of our community before looking into other organizations outside of Carlsbad . These local groups are most familiar with serving our homeless community as well as members that face food insecurity. This will also help address food insecurity in the long term. 2. The Homeless outreach plan should identify the strategy to address food insecurity as well as lay out the financial plan along with the organizations to help address food insecurity. The budget for homelessness/food insecurity should also be transparent. 3. Review the reporting structure of the current Homeless Outreach Plan. Homelessness/food insecurity is a multifaceted issue that involves the support of the Police Department but also of social workers and community organizations. It should be managed by an area that can bring these different stakeholders together and ensure the Homeless Outreach Plan is implemented and managed. Since we now have a new council member this is a great opportunity to revisit the reporting structure of the Homeless Outreach Plan. Thank you, Diana Aguirre D3 Resident & Homeowner Diana Aguirre, PMP®, LSSBB she/her/hers 1 Item 9. Food assistance in Carlsbad and Oceanside Kitchen Collaborative Holly Nelson, Homeless Program Manager David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer Feb. 9, 2021 Recommended Actions •Receive an informational presentation on food assistance in Carlsbad and Oceanside Kitchen Collaborative (OKC) •City Council discussion and potential direction regarding food assistance and food assistance providers 2 Food Insecurity •Exists in urban, suburban, and rural areas •May reflect the need to make trade-offs between important basic needs and food •Risk factors include –Poverty level –Individuals living with a disability –Seniors –Children under the age of 18 •The pandemic exacerbated existing food insecurity 3 Food Insecurity •SD Food Bank –Pre-pandemic 350,000 per month –Now 600,000 per month •Unemployment –Countywide 15% at height of pandemic –Countywide 8.8% in Dec. –Carlsbad 6.6% in Dec. 4 Research & Engagement •Monthly North County Food Policy meeting •North County Food Leaders GIS data •2-1-1 engagement on data •County engagement on CalFresh data •City hosted food insecurity webinar & roundtable •Presentation and outreach on supplemental CARES Act CDBG funding 5 Provider Engagement •18 Participating Organizations –Food assistance need increased during the pandemic –Resources increased and eligibility was relaxed –New data model to project risk of food insecurity –Funding sustainability is inconsistent –Food resources exist but distribution is a challenge 6 Provider Engagement •Takeaways –City as a convener is valuable –Convening leads to more provider connections and resources –Resources to meet the need of vulnerable populations likely exist –Identifying and communicating to those in need is a challenge –Distribution of existing resources is a challenge –Additional effort in connecting vulnerable populations with existing resources is an opportunity area 7 Local Food Assistance •12 organizations regularly serving Carlsbad –Nonprofit –Faith-based –Grassroots •At least one in every zip code •Grassroots “pop-ups” during pandemic may be in addition 8 Food Assistance Providers 9 Organization Frequency Location Service Pop.Service Metric Food Resource Church of the Advent & faith-based orgs.Daily 399 Carlsbad Village Dr.Homeless & Low-income 60-70 per day Prepared meal Showers of Blessings Tues.3256 Madison St.Homeless 45 per day Prepared meal Carlsbad Senior Center Mon. -Fri.799 Pine Ave Adults 50+165 per day Prepared meal Interfaith Community Services Mon. -Sat.5731 Palmer Way All 100 per day Prepared meal + delivery The Coastline Dream Center Sat.2215 Calle Barcelona All 800 families Prepared meal Christian Credit Counselors M-F 5838 Edison Pl Low-income 19,000lbs. per yr.Food pantry Pilgrim Church 8-4 2020 Chestnut Ave All 23,900lbs per yr.Food pantry MAAC Project Laurel Tree Apts.3rd Tuesday 1307 Laurel Tree Ln Low-income 60,465lbs per yr.Food pantry Meals on Wheels 3rd Tuesday Home Delivery Adults 60+53 per day Meal delivery Grocery Givers Mon. -Sat.Home Delivery Families 150 per week Food Pantry Great Plates Delivered Daily Home Delivery Adults 65+53 clients Meal delivery O'side Kitchen Collaborative &Partners Varied Various Homeless & food insecure Meal delivery Meal delivery Local Food Assistance •Services –Food pantries and distribution programs –Prepared meals –Home delivery service •Service days and hours vary •Population served varies 10 OKC •Food recovery and surplus food •Provide meal preparation and packaging •Homeless, seniors, or low income •No direct distribution but partner with other organizations •Received $100,000 though the supplemental CDBG process 11 Evaluation of Cities •Varied approach to food assistance •Senior meal programs •Resource centers •Partnership with non-profits •CDBG is a source of funding •CARES Act source during COVID-19 12 Carlsbad Food Assistance •Senior center meal program –45,000 during pandemic –50,000 projected over 12 months •CDBG –$10,000 to Meals on Wheels –$100,000 to OKC 13 2-1-1 Data •2-1-1 is a free and confidential resource line available 24/7, 365 days for San Diegans •In 2020, 2-1-1 had 508 residents from the City of Carlsbad call for a food-related need •37% increase from 2019 •3,231 referrals made to assistance programs 14 2-1-1 Data 15 2-1-.1 food need call demographics lremaJe Age 40-69 Nan-Veter-an NoCl'litdren Some EdUC<1tion Badlelo1rs Degree m Higher lnicome Less Than 30"-li Median Unempbyed Employed Retired IIJlMbled Stably Housed House Size of One 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% ll0% 2-1-1 Data •92008 had the highest number of callers •2-1-1 published a Food Resource Analysis •The report explored the availability and location of resources in relation to the food needs in the county •The demand for food pantries in 92011 is 5x higher than the typical demand reported in 2018 •92011 had 4x the number of needs per resource 16 2-1-1 food need calls by ZIP code Food Insecurity in Carlsbad •85% of all callers reported having to meet other basic needs before they could pay for nutrition needs •In the past month, the majority of residents expressed concern that they would run out or had run out in their household 17 CalFresh •Largest food safety net program •Eligibility is based on income •San Diegans get 91% of their food needs from federal nutrition programs compared to private charities 18 CalFresh 19 •3,381 households are receiving food stamps •57% increase in applications compared to 2019 •April had 4x the number of enrollments School Meals •Carlsbad Unified School District –Out of the 10,923 students, 19% are eligible for free or reduced meals at school –Drive-thru food pantries –Served on average 262 meals per day –All children qualify regardless of income levels –Provide breakfast and lunch 2,200 students daily 20 Areas of Opportunity •Better understanding scope of potential need •More clarity on vulnerable populations •Sustained support beyond pandemic •Convener and connector of providers •Existing resource accessibility 21 Next Steps •Continue convening with service providers •Communicate with providers when funding opportunities when available like CDBG •Develop data partnerships •Explore opportunities to provide targeted communications to connect potentially eligible individuals with existing resources 22 Food Assistance Options for Discussion •Areas of discussion –Additional research –Collaboration –Potential Funding •Develop partnerships to better define need •Enhance collaboration and coordination •Connect those in need with food insecurity assistance •Consider allocating funding through the annual budget process and conduct a competitive process 23 Recommended Actions •Receive an informational presentation on food assistance in Carlsbad and O’side Kitchen Collaborative (OKC) •City Council discussion and potential direction regarding food assistance and food assistance providers 24 Thank you 25