Statistics within Fresno County concerning food insecurity are staggering. One out of every five households in the city of Fresno and Fresno County are food insecure. Food insecurity is defined as “the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food,” and this is by far the highest number in California. 50.7% of these families are in a single-parent household and 19.3% of the population are living in poverty.
Executive Director of Every Neighborhood Partnership (ENP), Artie Padilla, came on July 8th to JD Food to speak more into what goes on in our city and how we can be apart of the change through their mission of “connect[ing] churches and other community partners with elementary schools, and equip[ping] them to serve through their active presence in every neighborhood.”
ENP address issues in the community through literacy programs, mentoring and community outreach events. Through the nonprofit Off the Front, JD Food pours into the Calwa neighborhood by teaching fourth graders at Calwa Elementary what it means to have good eating habits. By starting these habits at a young age, we are ensuring happy and healthy lifestyles.
For more on how to join the movement, visit https://everyneighborhood.org/volunteer/ today!