San Diego Hunger Coalition's Rural Child Hunger Initiative

Links: ● San Diego Hunger Coalition Research Reports

WHAT: San Diego Hunger Coalition has been chosen as one of the initial organizations supported by Save the Children’s Rural Child Hunger Research and Innovation Lab, which seeks to bolster community groups working to address child food insecurity in the rural and hardest-to-reach regions of the country.

As part of the support process, the Coalition has been awarded a $100,000 grant to facilitate its Hunger Free Kids Mountain Empire program in rural San Diego County. Hunger Free Kids is an initiative that aims to end nutrition insecurity among children through school breakfast and lunch programs, after-school suppers, summer meals, CalFresh support and more.

Through the Rural Child Hunger Research and Innovation Lab, Save the Children will provide funding to organizations to design, test, pilot and incubate innovative ideas for addressing hunger in rural communities. The lab will also provide recommendations, guidance and information from experts in child food insecurity and rural issues.

The San Diego Hunger Coalition joins four other organizations from across the United States in the Rural Child Hunger Research and Innovation Lab’s initial cohort.

WHY: As of June 2022, the San Diego Hunger Coalition estimates that nearly one in three children experiences nutrition insecurity in San Diego County. Food access and nutrition security are multifaceted issues, impacted by culture, social, political, economic, environmental and biological factors.

Children in rural areas are especially vulnerable to facing nutrition insecurity because of the lack of public transit options, the limited number of grocery stores and the difficulty in accessing social services such as food pantries and meal programs.

Supported by local advocates, funders and elected officials such as the office of County Supervisor Joel Anderson, the Hunger Coalition leads coordinated efforts to end hunger in rural

San Diego and throughout San Diego County through research, education and advocacy. Through its own programs and its policy-level advocacy, the Hunger Coalition mobilizes to create a hunger relief system that works for all county residents in their time of need.

QUOTES: “We are thrilled and honored to be selected as one of five organizations on a national scale working to address rural food insecurity in the United States,” said Anahid Brakke, President & CEO at the San Diego Hunger Coalition. “We know that ending hunger in San Diego is an achievable goal if we listen to community needs, rely on data and invest in changes at the program and policy level.”

Additional details and contact: ● Organization: San Diego Hunger Coalition ● Interviews: Contact Mike Peterson at mike@gomixte.com or (619) 732-0789 x 645 to

coordinate interviews with San Diego Hunger Coalition’s staff. ● Link to use in your story:

o San Diego Hunger Coalition o Hunger in San Diego, March 2022 data release

ABOUT SAN DIEGO HUNGER COALITION: San Diego Hunger Coalition brings organizations across San Diego County together to create a Hunger Free San Diego. For 45 years, they have led coordinated action supported by research, education and advocacy. For more information, visit sandiegohungercoalition.org. sdhunger.org!

Hunger Free San Diego is a multi-year initiative to apply a data-informed and community-driven approach to ending hunger in the region. The research in this issue brief was conducted with input and guidance from the Hunger Free San Diego Advisory Board, a collaborative table comprised of leaders representing all aspects of hunger relief in San Diego County. Hunger Free San Diego is led by San Diego Hunger Coalition and is part of the national Hunger Free Communities Network.