When most out-of-towners think of San Diego, home to gap intelligence, they probably picture sandy beaches and maybe even some of the country’s most famous craft breweries. Well, that’s basically accurate. Our office is perfectly positioned within sunny San Diego’s Liberty Station – a restaurant-packed, beautifully landscaped business development in America’s Finest City (oh hi there, Stone Brewing Co, which is less than a ten minute walk from the office). There is almost every type of cuisine imaginable, all just a Stone’s throw away. See what I did there? Stone?? Anyway… With award-winning restaurants on virtually every corner and some of the most expensive real estate per capita in the country, you probably wouldn’t believe that hunger is a major problem in our city. But it is.
Hunger is Real, and It’s Surprisingly Prevalent in Our Communities
Earlier this month, two visitors from the San Diego Food Bank made a special trip to our office to tell us about the eye-opening problem of hunger in our city. According to the San Diego Hunger Coalition, nearly half a million people in San Diego County deal with food insecurity every day. In fact, 1 in 8 adults and 1 in 5 children in our community don’t know how or where they’ll get their next meal. That’s mind-blowing. As we approach the holiday season and prepare to feast with our families and friends, we start to see the food donation bins come out and the bell ringers set up shop outside grocery stores. These food and donation drives are fantastic, but it’s important to remember that people struggle with food insecurity all year long, not just around the holidays. As we learned from Sandy Rabourne and Nancy Eisenberg during their visit from the San Diego Food Bank, summer brings a major challenge for kids who rely on breakfast and lunch at school during the rest of the year. When school’s out for summer, so are those subsidized meals. Even during the school year, many children also face food insecurity on evenings and over weekends.
gap intelligence Wants to Fill the Hunger Gap
gap intelligence’s charitable 3Ts committee (which stands for Time, Talent, and Treasure) understands that we’re all busy around here, but we also work really hard to DO GREAT – for each other, for our clients, and for our community. That’s why they organized The 200 Pound Challenge – a month-long food drive within our San Diego office. Not only can gappers bring shelf-stable, healthy food items to fill our very own donation bin, but we can also donate money through the San Diego Food Bank’s gap intelligence Virtual Food Drive. And you know what? YOU can, too! Just click on the link. Helping your neighbor is always in season, and it’s so easy to donate online. The Food Bank can make monetary donations stretch so much further by purchasing food in bulk at subsidized prices. In fact, $50 provides a whopping 250 meals to people in need. 250! That’s incredible.
You Can Help, Too
If you want to support the community that you’re a part of, visit FeedingAmerica.org to find your local food bank. There’s always a need, no matter where you live. Make a difference today and Do Great for your community. You’ll be glad you did.
How does your company Do Great in your community? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
