Bay Area Hunger Issues

"The recession boosted San Franciscans' reliance on food assistance in the year ended Aug. 31, even as the number of homeless stayed stable, according to a December report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Overall, San Francisco distributed 42.2 million pounds of food to food pantries and emergency kitchens last year, up 16% from the previous year, the report found. That echoed nationwide findings, with all but one of the 25 cities surveyed saying they distributed more food last year than in 2009. City officials say that to reduce hunger, San Francisco needs more affordable housing, higher food-stamp payments and changes to federal assistance that would reflect the high cost of living here, according to the report. At the same time, the number of homeless people stayed the same as last year -- at more than 6,000, according to the San Francisco Human Services Agency -- and emergency shelters didn't turn anyone away.

Departing Mayor Gavin Newsom is credited by community advocates with finding housing for thousands of formerly homeless people, which might have helped keep homelessness levels stable. San Francisco is one of 12 cities with stable or lower homelessness numbers in 2010, according to the report." To The Link

The Falling Middle Class

Social service providers have noticed a new class of homeless people resulting from the depression, that would normally be thriving in the economy. As a result of the recent decline in the economy, middle class workers are struggling to keep their jobs. Less opportunities are available in the work place due to budget cuts and downsizing, leaving many capable workers jobless as they search for employment.

"Homelessness across the entire nation is soaring, and experts say most of that growth is among people like Conroy - middle- to lower-middle-income workers - or families. But here's the tricky thing: They aren't all showing up in shelters yet." Read More

 It is important that our communities support these "newly homeless", and help get them reemployed and self sufficient. Along with volunteer help, I feel it is important for the government to help with the responsibility. Programs such as care not cash help homeless people get back on their feet, providing them with shelter and counseling.

San Francisco's Care Not Cash Program

In SanFrancisco, the mayor has established a program that he says is responsible for a 28% drop in the homeless population. This project aims to provide the homeless with housing and counseling, versus giving them money which may be spent for alternative motives. Although the mayor does claim such a high decrease in homelessness, some programs still project their numbers at normal levels, "It's an outrageous undercount, politically motivated,We've been looking at encampments and visit 15 different sites a week, and the numbers may have dropped a little, but we have not seen as dramatic a drop." Read More

I think it is important for homeless programs to focus their efforts to make sure they benefit the poor in the most crucial ways. The city has set up a perfect example of this with the care not cash program. Although the numbers projected by the mayor may not be as exact as some believe, what is important is that steps are being taken to support those in need.

Homeless Problems in the City, SF

According to a fourteen year long homeless survey in San Francisco by UCSF, hospitals will soon be crowded with homeless people. Studies have shown that the average age of homeless people in San Francisco has increased by nine years, from 37 to 46 during the years of the survey. 

According to the assistant professor running the study, "The already-troubling health issues for these older street people are not going to go away. They will just get worse, and we will see them in increasing numbers in our hospitals,If they don't go into the hospitals, many will simply die from living outside. Giving them a residence with on-site health care available will go a long way toward avoiding these troubles." This is a problem that takes the work of volunteers to solve. It is important that everyone is aware of the huge impact they can have on a homeless persons life by simply dedicating some of your time. It is essential for the homeless people suffering in San Francisco to receive help such as healthcare and housing.

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The Lasting Effects of the Tsunami

Tokyo issued a warning on Wednesday for infants in Tokyo and surrounding areas not to drink tap water because of a high level of radiation detected in the water supply. Ei Yoshida, head of water purification for the Tokyo water department stated in his news conference,

"Iodine-131 had been detected in water samples at a level of 210 becquerels per liter, about a quart. The recommended limit for infants is 100 becquerels per liter. For adults, the recommended limit is 300 becquerels."

 Although the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on the fourteenth were so devastating, the effects of the radiation released as a result of the collapse of nuclear reactors will be a problem not just Japan, but the world will continue to see throughout the future.

The Allies Fight Back

The United States has recently decided to join the allies in the fight against Libya's dictator Qaddafi. The allies have established a no fly zone over Libya and have been taking out anti-aircraft weapons using tomahawk missiles. On Wednesday, after destroying these targets, the allies began targeting military units loyal to the dictator.

Muammar Qaddafi expressed his determination not to back down to his supporters on Saturday;

"We will not surrender. We will defeat them by any means. We are ready for the fight, whether it will be a short or a long one. We will be victorious in the end,This assault is by a bunch of fascists who will end up in the dustbin of history." Read More

Hunger Problems Around the World

The issue of hunger and malnutrition is a problem encountered in every corner of the world. Every day thousands of people die from starvation, and millions more are effected as a result of an inconsistent food supply. While the rich over consume, millions of people live in poverty without the essentials of life;

"The United States constitutes about 6% of the world's population and consumes about 40% of the world's resources.  "

It is important for people to recognize how fortunate they are, and understand the potential help they can provide to those who are less fortunate and in desperate need.

"At least ¾ of a billion people suffer from some form of malnutrition, and about 50,000 people die each day as a result of malnutrition." Read More

I have focused my community service efforts to support the issue of hunger, and in particular, the issue of Bay Area hunger. By working at the Alameda County food bank and St. Mark's Church serving the homeless, I have tried to make an effect on these hunger statistics. The issue of hunger and malnutrition is a problem that can be solved with the help and support of communities, nations, and the world as a whole.

Oil Prices Continue to Rise

As a result of the unstable situation within the government of Libya, the world has seen a steady increase in oil prices. Although Libya may not produce the huge amounts of oil that countries like Saudi Arabia does, the recent uprisings in the middle east suggest instability. As a result of the civil war in Libya, with Muammar Qaddafi trying to resist being taken over by rebels, the world has lost only less than one percent of its crude oil production. Even though this seems like such an insignificant amount, the result it had on the market and the rest of the world was far more significant;

"Crude oil futures have risen more than 20 percent...In the past six months, gas prices have climbed more than 70 cents, but in the past two weeks alone, they're up 34 cents". Read More

 One explanation for this significant rise in oil prices could be a concern that Saudi Arabia and other major oil supplying countries may deal with similar situations as Egypt and Libya.If this happened, there could potentially be a serious world crisis for oil. The collapse of the Saudi oil production would affect world gas prices as well as almost every other industry because of the heavy reliance on oil.