Soaking It All In
The learning process is in full effect for me during my placement as an intern at The Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo. This non-profit organization is on a mission to alleviate food insecurity within the county by working with and alongside several community partners, organizations, and selfless community volunteers. Their belief is, “everyone has the right to nutritious food, regardless of the reason why they can’t always obtain food for themselves.”
It is estimated that 1 out of every 6 residents in San Luis Obispo County are currently dealing with food insecurity. If you prefer whole numbers, that’s about 46,000 residents who don’t know when their next meal will be. I’ve been able to soak in how their varying programs and departments all work towards accomplishing their goals.
Warehouse Grocery Rescue Routes
I’ve been able to accompany the warehouse crew on their Grocery Rescue routes which take place in the morning. They routinely visit various predetermined supermarkets that donate food items which are close to their “best-if-used by” date. The food items return to the foodbank warehouse where the items are sorted for distribution in the upcoming site deliveries. Most items will typically make it out to distribution sites within a few days. This is just one of the many ways the food bank gathers items for distribution.
Nutrition Programs
The Nutrition Program department and Community Food programs communicate the specifications placed by participant sites of children’s food markets, senior food markets, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, and neighborhood distribution sites for the warehouse to then compile the orders.
At the distribution sites, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with numerous residents of varying backgrounds, ages, and cultural diversities. As a dietetic professional, one must always be mindful and sensitive in how we speak and interact with others, While developing a presentation, I’ve learned from my preceptor that not everyone may want to hear about how calcium and vitamin D in fortified dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives help with reducing the risk of osteoporosis by contributing to the hydroxyapatite structure of our bones. There are moments when some in-depth explanation may be necessary, but it’s probably best to make do without the dietetic jargon.
I’ve been made aware of an amazing approach to introducing fresh fruits and vegetables to children while interning for the food bank. They have implemented a program known as their Children’s Farmer’s Markets. These markets are hosted on school campuses by partnering “with schools and child care programs to provide fresh produce to youth throughout the county.” Kids ecstatically line up with empty bags in one hand and Food Bank Bucks in the other, ready to pick the plumpest of fruits and vibrant vegetables for their families to enjoy at home. By the end, the kids have picked between 10-15 pounds worth of produce to take home and enjoy with their family.
This experience has been one of my favorites to observe at the food bank. I’ve been able to witness the establishment of a positive relationship with food within the youth through these markets. The partnership between after-school programs and the food bank is encouraging the kids to choose healthy foods while simulating the experience of shopping from local farmers through this program.
This rotation is the first of many that’ll be exposing me to new experiences and challenges necessary to grow and develop toward being a competent future dietetic professional. To date, I’ve been able to test my skill set in the development of programs related to preschoolers, an informative speech to the elderly, the procurement of food samples for community members of the distribution sites, and a few other opportunities. As I write this, I haven’t worked with every department head thus far in my rotation, but by the end, I will learn how Partner Services, the GleanSLO program, and Marketing and Communications each contribute in further detail towards the common goal of ensuring that residents of the county have the right and means of access to nutritious food.
There are multiple ways in which food-relief programs can attack food disparity issues within their counties, of course, each with their own unique obstacles depending on the region and resources. I believe that the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo is at the top of the game because they are able to create such warm and personal connections and relationships with residents of the county with each food item they distribute. The entirety of this rotation has been genuinely welcoming, warm, and joyful due to the staff at the warehouse as well as the grateful members I’ve met at community sites. I am eager to continue on with the additional community rotations I’ve got left in the upcoming months, especially since my long-term goal is to become a dietitian involved in proactive health promotion.
