Transcripts For KOFY Beyond The Headlines 20171124

Actually Fresh Produce. I am proud to say that abc7s parent company, disney, is committed to fighting hunger. This past year disney donated 1. 5 million to the feeding America Network of food banks, and this means that each of our local food banks in the network received 15,000 from disney and abc7 to continue their important efforts. Right now we have a local story of a young person making a difference. The city of san jose is teaming up with a south bay teenager to fight hunger. Kiran sridhar founded waste no food, a website and an app that lets businesses donate leftover food to charities. The hunger at home has already used the app to help Silicon Valley companies and restaurants donate 10,000 meals that otherwise would go to the landfill. Instead of putting a cheese tray out for 500, we deconstruct and put the different components in smaller platters, and when not used and it cant be consumed by team members or by future guests, then its donated safely. Now, san jose is the first city to partner with waste no food. Hunger is a big problem, sadly, in the wealthy Silicon Valley. One in four residents lives with hunger. One of those residents is in the studio with me right now, kelly kang. She is a wife, a mother of four, and their family struggles regularly to make ends meet. Kelly, thank you for being here today. Thank you for having me. I really appreciate the fact youre willing to come forward and talk about whats going four kids. How old are your kids . Theyre 11, 9, 5, and 2 1 2. Had to think about that for a minute, right . Yes. And do you have a husband . Yes. And hes unfortunately had a disability, something on the job . Yes, he was a machinist, and he got hurt on the job, and he hasnt been able to work since. So youre carrying the load for everybody right now. Yes, yes. And youve also just moved, so tell me about that. Yeah, this is kind of stressful. It gets hard. Yes, its stressful trying to get into place. But we finally got settled in and just trying to deal with that right now. Yeah, and with all that, with the moving and costs and you have one car, right . Yes, yes. For all of you. So, getting around and getting the kids around and getting to your job. Yeah, i have to take Public Transit so my husband can take all the kids to school so he has a car available for him. Thats what were gonna have to start doing, yeah. Now, one of the big reasons youre able to do what you do is because of foodbank support. Yes, thats correct. So, tell me how that works. Ive been going to church about a year and a half Trinity Church to get the food available for us, and then we pick up the produce, and then we go there, pick all the fresh fruits and vegetables, and then theres also, you know, canned goods and meats, and then once we get that, it helps that we make salads, cause its very expensive to do that, cause i currently work at a Grocery Store, and its still very expensive to try to get the fresh fruits and vegetables for us. So, once we do that, we bring it home, and that seems to help us out quite a bit. And then they get the food from another source. Yes. Second harvest food bank. And Second Harvest is so awesome. I love working with them. They were even kind enough to help you with being here today. Yes. Tell us about that. Yes. Actually, susie from Trinity Church, she actually contacted me and asked me if id be willing to do a story, and then caitlin kerk actually contacted me, and thats how i ended up here today. And you got a ride here. Yes, exactly. Otherwise you wouldve had to take the bus. [ laughing ] exactly. So im really grateful that youre here. So, now, fresh fruits are so important, especially with young kids. Yes. And how frustrating for you you work at a Grocery Store and cant really afford to buy the food that you sell to other people. Yes, exactly. So, thats another issue, but the fact that you have the food Bank Available to you, what does that do for your family . How do you see it changing your family . Its exciting for my kids. They get to pick out what they want to eat, and then also i make smoothies for them every day, especially my youngest, my 2 1 2yearold son. He wont eat vegetables, so i make it as a smoothie, throw some flaxseed in, it helps out tremendously, and we get to eat salads a few times a week, because its very expensive to do that, too. And then my oldest actually cuts up all her fruit and provides it for them, so that does help. And i think a lot of people think that when youre poor that all you eat are starches and cheeses, right, which is not the best thing for you to eat, so the fact that youre able to have healthy food, especially for growing bodies, they need that for their minds and their bodies. Yeah, we get a good variety. That makes it really nice, too. Definitely. Do they have some favorites . Veggies . Yes. They actually love to eat salad lettuce, tomato, cucumber they all love that, and actually two of my daughters love broccoli. So im really lucky in that way. So, they like that. They like to pick out the cereal and the bread, so we try to have very a lot of variety of foods. Yeah. And it does make a difference because that means that your family can be normal with all the stresses that you have underway. So, were almost out of time. What do you want other families to know who might think, oh, i dont need that or im too proud. I dont have to do that. Whats your advice for them . Just basically there is food out there. Theres help out there. Its hard to ask, but just go there. This church i go to, you dont have to belong to the congregation. Just walk up, and theyre just so supportive. I think sometimes you just end up forgetting that youre getting that help, so just ask for it. Its available to you, and it affects your kids if you dont do that. Right. It does affect your kids. And i think you said a really important thing. Dont hold back. Dont be shy about it. Yes. Its hard. It was embarrassing for me. It still is, but the help is out there, and i just think about the kids. You just said something really important. It was embarrassing for you. But now all the people who want to help you and help your family thrive, its really remarkable. Yes. Ive had a lot of support and help out there with his family and ours. Theyve reached out and helped us out, too. So we want people who are watching your story at home to give generously to Second Harvest so that they can help all the agencies in your county. Yes, definitely. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you. Thank you for sharing your story. No problem. And best wishes for healthy kids. Yes, thank you. And your husband, too. Yes, thank you very much. All right, kelly. Nice to meet you here. Nice meeting you, too. All right, we have a lot more to talk about. When we come back, were gonna learn about the importance of how Fresh Produce affects hunger relief, and the incredible amount of food that goes to waste before it ever gets sold or even donated. Stay with us. avo if youve been struggling with belly pain and constipation, and youre overwhelmed by everything youve tried all those laxatives, daily probiotics, endless fiber it could be wearing on you. Tell your doctor what youve tried, and how long youve been at it. Linzess works differently from laxatives. Linzess treats adults with ibs with constipation or chronic constipation. It can help relieve your belly pain and lets you have more frequent and complete bowel movements that are easier to pass. Do not give linzess to children less than six and it should not be given to children six to less than eighteen. It may harm them. Dont take linzess if you have a bowel blockage. Get immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain, especially with bloody or black stools. The most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. If its severe, stop taking linzess and call your doctor right away. Other side effects include gas, stomacharea pain and swelling. Ask your doctor if 90 days of linzess may be right for you. Welcome back to beyond the headlines. Im cheryl jennings. Were talking about families in need and the value of Fresh Produce in our hungerrelief efforts. You may not realize it, but most of us throw away more than 1,000 worth of food every year, and you might be even more surprised to know just how much food goes to waste before it ever hits the stores. As abc7 news anchor reggie aqui explains, wasted food is a national crisis. These greens look good enough to eat, until you realize this salad bar is in a dump. We found thousands of pounds of Fresh Produce heaped high, much of it in storeready bags. This load here by itself was probably close to 10 tons. Cesar zuniga says the mountain of vegetables is just a fraction of what he sees every day at this waste processing facility in salinas. The Salinas Valley produces 70 of the countrys salad greens. This batch came from dole. Unfortunately, im not surprised. Dana gunders is the author of the waste free kitchen handbook, and wrote this report for the National Resources Defense Council with a shocking conclusion. Across the country, we waste about 40 of all the food that comes into our food supply. That includes food waste on farms, those scraps you leave behind in a restaurant, lettuce going bad in your fridge, and bruised or spoiled food in Grocery Stores. But that doesnt include produce supermarkets reject. The industry has very specific standards, everything from the size of a banana to the shape of a bell pepper. What doesnt make the cut doesnt make the shelf. Certainly cant have a big nose like this. Huge amounts of fruits and vegetables are rejected because theyre ugly. We basically buy the produce from california farmers that wouldnt normally make it to Grocery Stores. Then emeryvillebased imperfect foods boxes it up and sells it to you at a big discount. So, theres absolutely nothing wrong with these fruits and vegetables. Theyre basically the same exact quality as normal grocerystore product. Theyre just shaped a little bit funny. The Food Industry knows it has a problem. We were really startled to discover that the single biggest category of whats going into landfills in the u. S. Is food. The National Food Waste Reduction Alliance is bringing together grocery manufacturers, food marketers, and the Food Service Industry to cut down food waste. One strategy is to recycle more. Were actually diverting 93 of our food waste away from landfill. But as we found in salinas, there is still plenty of waste. This lettuce looks good. Some of it was bagged and ready to go nearly two weeks from expiring. Not to mention all the water that was wasted to grow all this food. So why were they thrown away . Dole foods wouldnt talk on camera, but in a statement said, dole disposes of approximately 20,000 pounds weekly at the salinas waste facility, adding that these bags are samples that we use to monitor Product Performance and not intended for public consumption. Doles statement didnt address the lettuce not in bags. Local food banks want to see more of these greens tossed on a table, not in the trash. Wed love to have all that we can get. The Food Waste Reduction Alliance Says its encouraging members to donate more. Nobody likes to see food wasted, least of all us because we dont see that as food waste. We see that as an opportunity to get food for lowincome people who need that food. Reggie aqui, abc7 news. Amazing, huh . Well, in the studio with me right now is keisha nzewi. She is the advocacy manager at the Alameda County food bank. And thank you for being here with us today. Thank you so much for having us. There is so much that youre gonna talk about today that i am learning for the first time, and i am just in awe of the work that the food bank does. So, first of all, start with who you serve. Well, the truth is we serve everyones neighbor. In Alameda County, we are serving one in five of our neighbors every year. One in five . Mmhmm. Thats 20 . Oh, my gosh. Which is surprising because were in such an affluent area. Right. Thats incredible. Mmhmm. So, one of the things that you did and i just learned this today, and i dont know why i dont know this but you actually eliminated one kind of beverage. Yeah. In 2005, our executive director, suzan bateson, made the very bold move to stop distributing soda. But by doing that, that eliminated a lot of poundage that our food bank was distributing, and at that time, thats how our success was measured. But instead thats when we started to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables. So, in 2005, we were able to distribute a Million Pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. Wow and this fiscal year were on pace to reach nearly 19 Million Pounds. Oh, my gosh. How do you get that . I mean, thats a lot of food. Its a lot of food. Whats probably surprising to a lot of people is that food banks actually purchase most of their food, and although we do receive a lot of donations, of course, our produce we pretty much purchase at about 10 cents per pound. Now, do you deal with specific farmers . How does that work . Well, were so lucky to live in california and not in the frozen tundra, so we have fresh fruits and vegetables available to us yearround from california growers. I hope they give you a good deal. Its 10 cents a pound. Its better than we get at the Grocery Store. Thats true. Thats true. We heard kelly talking about that. Mmhmm. And the healthy food kelly was talking about how important it is for her kids. And have you seen a difference when you change the distribution of the types of food from just canned goods, salty things to fresh food . I think people appreciate so much the opportunity to buy foods that are otherwise out of reach for them because of cost, and so, by being able to provide so many fresh fruits and vegetables and other foods that are good for health, its really important, and it really i dont know brings a level of equity to communities that otherwise cant access the foods that you and i may take for granted. Right. And they should have that right to have healthy food every day. Absolutely. So, you get all this tons and tons of food so, how do you distribute all of that . We are we have a network of over 200 member agencies, which are both food pantries and soup kitchens, so places that prepare meals or places that give out groceries, and they acquire their food from us and possibly other sources, and then they distribute it to their community. And is there a limit on the amount somebody can take . Well, with fresh fruits and vegetables, thats unlimited supply to our member agencies. Nice. And once theyre distributing it in the community, oftentimes they dont have to put a limit, but, of course, resources are limited, and sometimes they may say people can take so many of this and so many of that. But the great thing is that people can choose and choose the foods that their families enjoy and arent forced to take whatever is given. Right. They dont feel like its a handdown. Right. All right. The important phone number for people. Right. So, when people need food, they should call 1800870food, or 3663. And in our last few seconds, whats the most important thing people can do at home to help you help people who need food . I think that they should donate. Every dollar thats donated to Alameda County Community Food bank were able to purchase 6 worth of food, so their dollar goes a very long way. So 10 would buy a lot of food then. Lots. Keisha, thank you so much. Thank you for the work youre doing, too. Thank you. All right. And we have a lot more to talk about. Were gonna learn about food waste and food rescue and how that affects hunger relief. Stay with us. Well be right back. Really . Really . Really . Really . Really . Really . See zero in a whole new way. Get zero down, zero deposit, zero first months payment, and zero due at signing on select volkswagen models. Now with the people first warranty. Welcome back to beyond the headlines. Im cheryl jennings. You know, a lot of families enjoy big meals during the holidays and big gatherings, and all that food we buy and cook, part of its gonna end up in the trash. You know that. So how can you keep from throwing away your money . Abc News Reporter Rebecca Jarvis has that story. In this kitchen, what many restaurants may consider trash is actually headed to the table. We were ending up with surplus ingredients. Saucy by nature, a restaurant in brooklyn, new york, focuses on zero waste. That means when its catering business finishes a wedding or corporate event, the leftover ingredients go to the restaurant instead of the landfill. We dont just have to be driven by money and profit. From restaurants to your own refrigerator, americans are throwing out more than 130 billion pounds of food every year. 40 of the food thats grown is wasted. And its not just food waste, but wasted money. 371 per person spent on food you end up throwing out. Multiply that for a family, and were talking about thousands of dollars each year. Whats worse there are still many people who dont have enough. One in six americans goes hungry, and so we have this very odd juxtaposition. At revive foods in san francisco, the focus is on food rescue, turning overripe or ugly fruit thats still perfectly edible into products like jam. Its not just a social problem. Its just not an environmental problem. Its not just an economic one. Its all of them. Simple steps can help you limit your food waste. When you eat out, ask for smaller portions or share with friends. At home, take stock of what you have before you go grocery shopping, and watch where you store things. Keeping onions and potatoes together shortens the shelf life on both. Another simple way to save check those bestbuy labels on your groceries. They arent hard and fast rules, just recommendations for retailers. For example, on your eggs, the date here means its still good for another three to five weeks. Rebecca jarvis, abc news, new york. And here in the studio with me right now from the food bank of contra costa solano, executive director larry sly. And you have been doing this for so long. Its so nice to see you again. Nice to see you. How many years now . Its coming up on 40 years. Its a long time. Eh, youre just a pup. Youre just getting started, right . Hopefully ill get it down. [ laughing ] maybe some fool will hire you, right . Yeah, right. You started the first one of the first food banks back in the 70s. Why . Why did you do that . Well, okay. At that point what we were doing was providing a supplemental assistance. Somebody went in to apply for a government assistance program, had forgot to bring their childrens birth certificates. They sent them to the local church, where they could get three days worth of food to help get them through until the government assistance programs were available to them. Its been interesting, cheryl, because what weve seen now is weve become part of the network that provides service to people in need because of the access we have to Fresh Produce, stuff we recover from Grocery Stores. We are part of the system. Were not just a supplement. Were an integral part of what goes on in the community. Yeah, but back then, you were just what . In a parking lot and a truck . One truck . Exactly. We had a trailer park in a parking lot, two people, and it was an idea, you know. Unlike steve jobs, where his thing grew into something a lot bigger, but weve grown into an industry that provides a very essential service to the community. And it makes a huge difference. Very much, very much. I think it really speaks to the power of what one person can do. Yeah. If you care and if you have the thought. And what weve seen is the growth of food banks throughout the nation because we have become an integral part of the system, saving food from waste, getting it to people in need, and making a difference for hungry people in our community. Now, if didnt have what you have and that distribution system, it would be a lot harder to get so many people to give them access. Completely. I mean, weve really built integral systems based on other volunteer organizations working with us, faithbased organizations. We do a lot of directservice programs ourselves because of the Community Support we get. For instance, we have a program called the Community Produce program that takes fresh fruits and vegetables out in a beverage truck, and we set up a mobile Farmers Market at 50 sites throughout contra, costa, and solano counties. Most of the other food banks in the bay area are doing the same thing as well, and in that way we get the fresh fruits and veggies out to people who need the help. I think thats so important because a lot of people, if theyre struggling economically, they cannot go drive and they cant afford the stuff at the Grocery Store. We find that more than half the families we serve have a working individual in the family, but they just cant make it because the cost of living is so high. I mean, if youre making 12 an hour, thats not enough to live on in the bay area. No, it absolutely isnt. We talked about the story that we saw there about food waste, and so the question comes up, does food waste cause hunger . I think theyre sort of parallel universes. If we can save food from waste, we help to deal with hunger, but the issue of hunger is the bigger one that we focus on. We really want to see what we do become a supplement like it was when i originally started. Wed really like to see more people enrolled in the Calfresh Program, receiving the benefits that are available to them to help provide healthy food to their children. One of the drawbacks to what we have is we only give away what we get, so the family doesnt really have the option to get all the foods that they may necessarily need, so if we have more people getting in the Calfresh Program and what we do can supplement that, its gonna be the best thing for lowincome people in our community. Youre talking about calfresh and i was remembering what kelly said earlier about how she was embarrassed to reach out for help, but her kids and her disabled husband were so much more important so she had to overcome that. So is that a big problem to get people to you . Yeah, i think thats a big problem, and part of what we do is outreach. All the food banks in the bay area are doing outreach to try and educate people that food stamps, calfresh is the First Response to hunger in our community, and its what the government really can do to help people in need get the food thats really necessary to them. So, yeah, we really dont want people to be embarrassed. We want people to get the food their children need. So how does it work . People go down, they enroll, they can come in with a talk to a calfresh outreach worker. They can help them prepare their application so that when they go to the county office to actually apply, it should be an easy process they go through, and then they start to receive benefits, and theyll actually get an atm card that they can use in the Grocery Store that allows them to buy the healthy food that they need to provide for their children. Do they need documentation . Theres certain documentation, but thats what our outreach worker helps them understand what they need to have in the way of birth certificates, income verification, the kinds of things that the county office needs to deal with, and we try to make it as easy as possible for them so that they go through and get the benefits that their children need. So, before we wrap up we have just a few more seconds do you need volunteers, and how important are donations . Both are critical. We really demand we demand we ask that people give us food donations during the holiday season. Thats critical to us. We need volunteers. We had over 90,000 hours of volunteer time given to our food bank last year. That makes a big difference in the amount that were able to do. But money money is critical. As keisha said, we really need money to pay for the gas for our trucks, to pay for the food that we acquire, so we need the Community Support in order to make it work. Were very effective with every dollar that we get. More people are fed because of the efficiencies that food banks have, so we hope that people will invest in our work. And we hope they will, too, and thats why were here, so thank you so much. Appreciate it. Appreciate your guys help at abc7. Any time. That is it, unfortunately, for todays show, but we have a lot more information for you about todays special and some resources where you live. Just go to our website, abc7news. Com community. And were on facebook at at abc7 community affairs, and please follow me on twitter cherylabc7. Im cheryl jennings. Have a great week. Well see you next time. [narrator] today, the stories of two murder cases, one in georgia, one in colorado. In our first case, a once respected lawyer