Every family deserves a healthy meal. Feeding America, which supplies nearly 23 million lbs. of food each year to hungry San Diegans, is trying to make sure they get one. Four years ago, the organization stopped accepting donations of sugary drinks and candy. Now, it’s preparing to go a step further by guaranteeing that its food bags will be 100% healthy in 2014 — less Honey Nut Cheerios, more fresh fruits and vegetables.
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The move, which is funded in part by the Dennis and Pamela Mudd Charitable Foundation, is in direct response to families’ needs: for many, food donations aren’t just a stopgap anymore; they’re a long-term fix. It doesn’t help that temporary stimulus increases to food stamps and welfare assistance programs have expired in recent months. The good news is that food-bank recipients have embraced Feeding America’s initiative, consistently reporting that they’re satisfied with the healthier options. The idea that poor people only want junk food? It’s a myth.