Cal Fresh Forum highlights services many Californians can benefit from

The Department of Social Services says 35% of people who could qualify for supplemental nutrition programs like Cal Fresh don’t request help. On Friday at the 4th Annual Cal Fresh Forum in Watsonville, representatives tried to educate local groups about ways they could end hunger in their community.

As a single mother of three, Second Harvest Cal Fresh Outreach Worker Sandra Varela remembers the stigma after she turned to Cal Fresh and Second Harvest to help feed her children.

“When I used the stamps,” Varela explained, “People would mumble in the back of you, ‘Oh she’s gonna use the benefits.'”

But now she and others hope to change that image. The Cal Fresh Forum sought to educate others about the program and just how serious hunger is on the Central Coast.

“One in four kids in Santa Cruz County are actually food insecure which means they are not getting a full nutritional diet every day,” Bly Morales said.

California has one of the lowest participation rates in the Cal Fresh/SNAP Program. In fact, in Santa Cruz County, there are over 21,000 households that could be benefiting from this program. It’s 44,000 households combined in San Benito and Monterey Counties.

“A lot of people don’t apply because they don’t know or they don’t think the qualify,” Maira Jauregui, a benefits representatie said. “And I think everyone should apply. You don’t know if you qualify or not until you really apply.”

Some of those people are undocumented workers whose children were born here. Their children could receive the benefits. Or, people receiving social security benefits or the elderly.

And it’s not just about finding that next meal. Other Cal Fresh programs include teaching people how to shop wisely and use food that may be new to them, like Swiss Chard or kale.

“Most of the time you have to make the worst decisions because the food is cheaper,” Varela said.

With the help Sandra received, she was able to focus on saving money and moved into an apartment. She’s now using her personal story as a way to connect with others in need.

“Being in the situation like other people and I think that that’s what gets us more closer to them,” Varela said. “Knowing that I’ve been there and I’ve struggled the same way so much other people are struggling right now.”

On Saturday, May 9 is the ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ National Food Drive. People are being asked to leave nonperishable foods near their mailbox. Their postal carrier will pick it up during Saturday service. All the food collected in one area will stay in that area.