Dispatches from IFT 2009
Hidden hunger still an issue in California
This year is the 70th anniversary of IFT – and the 70th anniversary of the publication of Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck. Since then, have poverty and hunger been wiped out in California?
Jerry Creekpaum of Second Harvest Food Bank discusses poverty in modern-day California. Whereas 70 years ago Steinbeck focused on the plight of the migratory farm worker coming to California in search of a better life, in modern, urbanised California there is a ‘hidden face of hunger’.
As well as helping to raise aware of the issues, industry visitors to the IFT trade show in Anaheim, California, last month had the opportunity to volunteer on the production line at Second Harvest’s distribution centre, where they put together emergency food packages.
A similar scheme was run at IFT 2008 in New Orleans, where 18000 meals were served to 1600 clients.
