AGENDA

Description

This session provides an overview of our vision for a Hunger Free San Diego, where anyone in need can readily access enough nutritious food. We will explain how the methodology used by the Hunger Coalition to estimate hunger in San Diego County can be used as a model to tackle hunger anywhere in the country, including how we track nutrition insecurity and food assistance meals around the county

The San Diego Hunger Coalition has developed a replicable model for closing meal gaps that combines zip-code-level data with community action. Learn how they pinpoint food insecurity to calculate monthly gaps, then train community members through their Hunger Free Navigator Training™ to help neighbors access resources. Led by Research Manager Joseph Kendrick.

Presenters

• Joseph Kendrick, Research Manager San Diego Hunger Coalition 

Description: Hear from experts about recent changes to immigrant eligibility for public benefits and related data privacy concerns. Learn how food banks are supporting affected community members and how you can engage in advocacy efforts

Presenters:

• Liz Gomez, Vice President of Impact, Alameda County Community Food Bank

• Alex Gay , Attorney, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County

• Benyamin Chao, Policy Manager, Health & Public Benefits, California Immigrant Policy Center

The annual CA State Budget process is a powerful tool for advocates seeking to enact policies for positive change, but can seem harder to understand and navigate than the process for legislative bills. Learn from the experts at the California Budget & Policy Center how this annual process works and at what points anti-hunger advocates can be most impactful in pushing for our shared priorities like CalFood funding.

Presenters

• Monica Saucedo, Senior Policy Fellow, California Budget & Policy Center
• Josh Wright, Director of Government Relations, California Association of Food Banks

Description: Join us to dive into the latest developments surrounding CalFresh. Hear from a panel of experts on how H.R. 1 policy changes are being implemented in CalFresh, their effects on individuals subject to time limits, and current advocacy efforts to reduce harm.

Presenters:

• Becky Silva, CalFresh Branch Chief, California Department of Social Services

• Jackie Mendelson, Policy Advocate, Nourish California

• Tiffany Whiten, Senior Government Relations Advocate, California State Council of SEIU

• Keely O’Brien, Policy Advocate, Western Center on Law & Poverty

Join representatives from small, medium, and large food banks to share best practices for creating and executing a food budget. Compare approaches to forecasting needs, allocating dollars, and stretching budgets when resources are tight. This peer discussion will explore practical strategies and troubleshooting with colleagues facing similar challenges.

Presenters

• Emily Acosta, Produce Sourcing Manager Second Harveset of Silicon Valley
• Jessica Schultz, Director of Supply Chain Feeding San Diegp
• Brian Simpfenderfer, Food Sourcing Senior Coordinator Feeding San Diego

This interactive workshop equips food bank and hunger relief leaders with practical tools to strengthen board governance and long-term sustainability. Participants will deepen understanding of fiduciary, strategic, and oversight roles while exploring fundraising, advocacy, succession planning, board development, and recruitment - ensuring boards are aligned, effective, and positioned to advance equitable food access and community impact.

Presented by:

Launa Wilson, Founder & CEO Launa Wilson Consulting

Existing measures used to quantify potential demand for food assistance often underestimate true need or are updated infrequently. In this panel discussion, we introduce two new real-time mechanisms for monitoring trends in demand, including food bank web traffic and helpline calls requesting food support. We also describe our approach to estimating a baseline number of people in each county who make insufficient income to pay for basic expenses. 

Panelists:

Maxwell Titsworth, San Francisco-Marin Food Bank

Ion Nemteanu, The Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank

Liz Kroboth, California Association of Food Banks

The San Diego Hunger Coalition has developed a replicable model for closing meal gaps that combines zip-code-level data with community action. Learn how they pinpoint food insecurity to calculate monthly gaps, then train community members through their Hunger Free Navigator Training™ to help neighbors access resources. Led by Research Manager Joseph Kendrick.

Presenters

• Joseph Kendrick, Research Manager San Diego Hunger Coalition 
• Alondra Alvarado, President & CEO San Diego Hunger Coalition

Throughout the state, food banks have partnered with healthcare organizations to provide Medi-Cal patients with healthy groceries through the state's Medicaid waiver, CalAIM, over the last four years. The success and sustainability of these partnerships hinge on each stakeholder - from the health plan to the food bank and the supplier to the patient - feeling that the complex work required is worth it. This panel will feature diverse viewpoints on the financial viability and impact of Food is Medicine on these various sectors, particularly as the landscape shifts due to ongoing federal policy changes. 

Moderated by Katie Ettman, Executive Director of FullWell, and featuring panelists representing the healthcare, supplier, food bank, and research sectors.

Two California food banks demonstrate how multilingual community listening and data-informed engagement uncovered disparities in food access and service experience, and how those insights informed improvement in food procurement, partner support, and neighbor experience. Attendees will walk away with key community engagement methods and strategies, solutions to challenges with data collection (e.g. survey, qualitative research, stakeholder engagement), and a process to translate research findings into actions.

Presenters

Patrick Okoh, Data Analyst Alameda County Community Food Bank

Reah Chiong PhD, Data Analyst Second Harvst Orange County

Tired of walking around looking for pallets, tracking inventory in your head, or wondering where things are? This session breaks down how to "barcode your warehouse." We'll cover common food bank systems (P2, Ceres, NetSuite), what to budget for, and what they change for your team. Leave ready to make your warehouse faster and easier to manage.

Presenters

• Sharon Jacobson, Founder/Consultant SJ Consulting Inc. 

Get answers to your sourcing questions from a panel of agriculture and transportation industry experts. Learn how current challenges—rising costs, labor shortages, transportation logistics, and more—affect food availability and pricing. Understand what growers and distributors face moving product from farm to food bank, and learn how to source food more effectively.

With shifting funding for local food programs, how do we keep small farm partnerships going? Join food banks and aggregators to explore how these partnerships expand community access to fresh, local produce; support local agriculture, and strengthen regional food systems. We’ll share successes, learn what’s working in a Boundless pilot, and refine strategies for sustainability.

Presenters - 

Wilken Louie, California Association of Food Banks

Carrie North – North State Food Bank (Butte)

Lisa De La Cruz – Community Food Bank of San Benito

Barbara Abbott – SF-Marin Food Bank

Tanis Crosby – SF Marin Food Bank

Anna Hopkins – Farm2People Inc,

Jacob Weiss – Spork Food Hub

Description

Get started with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to make data-informed decisions that advance hunger relief. Learn core concepts, compare mapping tools, and explore real-world examples that show how spatial analysis improves program design, equitable resource allocation, and storytelling. Leave with practical resources to launch your first mapping project.

Presenters

• Julia Rosales, Data Analyst Alameda County Community Food Bank 

Learn how one food bank has exceeded Hunger Action Month fundraising goals year over year, engaged their community in food system education, and launched new events in partnership with their business community. This session shares what worked in Contra Costa and Solano Counties, including planning, execution, and results. Walk away with ideas to activate your own community, staff, and elected officials.

Presenters

• Hailey Solares, Advocacy & Policy Manager, Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano 
• Dawn Manley,  Community Partnerships Specialist

• Jeremy Crittenden, Media & Internal Communications Specialist

Description

When San Francisco-Marin Food Bank lost pandemic funding, they faced a strategic dilemma: how to sunset their Pop-Up Pantries program without abandoning the staff who built it. Learn how Trauma-Informed principles—transparency, leveling power imbalances, and validating grief—centered human dignity and transformed a funding crisis into a mission-driven moment.

Presenters

• Colby D'Onofrio, Training Specialist Leah's Pantry
• Adam Hoffman, Sneior Program Manager SF Marin Food Bank

Faith-based partners can be powerful advocacy allies, offering both ground-level intelligence and community credibility. Learn how to partner for health equity in ways all faith organizations can get behind, understand practical differences between organizations, and build relationships that strengthen your network. We’ll share real examples from successful partnerships between food banks and faith-based organizations.

Food banks often struggle to reach younger audiences — yet this demographic is an untapped pathway to expanding food access. Through innovative collaboration, youth service learning can be a powerful way to reduce stigma and build the next generation of food access leaders. Learn how Mindful Littles and North State Food Bank partner to engage youth and gain practical tools to apply in your local community.

Presenters

Tanuka Gordon, Founder & CEO Mindful Littles

Tim Hawkins, CEO, CEO of CAA Butte County/North State Food Bank

CLBL’s Community Food Program operates the Mobile Farmers Market with a simple goal: bring culturally relevant, local farm-fresh produce directly to neighborhoods with limited access to healthy food. This workshop explores how mobile markets advance food equity while supporting small and beginning farmers. Learn about CLBL’s operational model, EBT/nutrition incentive integration, and community collaboration strategies.

Presenters

• Christopher Gomez Wong, Community Food Program Manager Center for Land-Based Learning

Description

Learn how Universidad Popular in San Diego County organizes neighborhood pantries, food drives, and deliveries; providing culturally responsive foods to families overwhelmed by fear and trauma from immigration enforcement. We'll share practical strategies to build community connections, foster mutualismo, and respond when families need you most.

Presenters

• Arcela Nunez, Co-Director & Cofounder Universidad Popular 

What do you do when there's a food access gap but no existing distribution partners? Learn how Sacramento partnered with two school districts to develop their own food distribution programs, build capacity, and transition to running independently. Share experiences and exchange ideas for applying this Community Growth Model in your region.

Presenters

• Karen Stach, Director of Programs Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services 
• Eric Spring, Food Access Programs Manager Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services

California is building a movement to ensure every eligible college student can access CalFresh, and it's working. Hear from statewide panelists about how cultivating trusted, joyful spaces fuels collective action. Learn from River City Food Bank's community college partnerships and the Emergency Food Action Plan that maintained student food access during recent shutdowns. Leave with concrete strategies to build unified partnerships that support your communities.

Presenters

Amy Dierlam, CalFresh Outreach Director River City Food Bank

Aaron Kunst, Co-Director, CalFresh Outreach Cal State Chico

Antonette Duff, College Student, Consumnes River College

Oscar Mendoza Plascencia, Director of Basic Needs & Student Support, Consumnes River College

Brandi Simonaro, Co-Director, CalFresh Outreach, Center for Healthy Communities

Food banks often struggle to reach younger audiences — yet this demographic is an untapped pathway to expanding food access. Through innovative collaboration, youth service learning can be a powerful way to reduce stigma and build the next generation of food access leaders. Learn how Mindful Littles and North State Food Bank partner to engage youth and gain practical tools to apply in your local community.

Presenters

Tanuka Gordon, Founder & CEO Mindful Littles

Tim Hawkins, CEO, CEO of CAA Butte County/North State Food Bank