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One of the most important aspects of the COVID-19 crisis is making sure everyone has access to safe, nutritious food. Whether you’re ordering takeout or delivery, going to a grocery store or farmers market, or visiting a food bank or pantry, I want to make sure no one is going hungry. And if you're able to afford to purchase meals to go, I want to make sure that we help promote our local restaurants and small businesses struggling to pay their workers.
If you’re over 60, or have underlying health conditions, please stay home and take advantage of the many volunteers who will help you, or order through delivery services if you can. Regardless, of how old you are, you should be practicing social distancing when visiting food pantries, farmers' markets, and grocery stores.
To be clear: Although those most at-risk of ding from COVID-19 are seniors or people with underlying health conditions, at least half of the cases being treated in our hospitals are patients between the ages of 10 and 60. The virus doesn't discriminate who it infects, and anyone can be a vector - seriously, do your social distancing!
Finally, we urge you to stay connected and check on each other frequently by phone, email, or social media, and share this list of resources with neighbors, friends and loved ones without internet access. My office iw working 24/7 to navigate emergency response, connect you to resources, triage emerging problems and make sure our most vulnerable are taken care of. Please keep reaching out - we are here to you.
Working for you from the Emergency Operation Center (EOC),
Aaron
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Assembly member Phil Ting and Supervisor Aaron Peskin at the Emergency Operation Center.
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My Chief of Staff Sunny Angulo with EOC Deputy Chief Natasha reminding you to social distance!
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Food items picked up from SFUSF's THREE meals-per-day program
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Free Food and Food Programs
Food pantries and banks are overwhelmed with demand right now at a time when they have fewer volunteers available or have to close because they can’t serve up hot meals like they used to. Here are some resources to check, and please, consider volunteering if you can.
- Expensify.org will reimburse families for up to $50 for essential goods and groceries purchased on your SNAP card. Click the link and scroll down for instructions.
- Food bank locator shows food near you. Things are changing rapidly, but some new, bigger mobile distribution sites with extended hours have opened. Please note: The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is hosting a pop-up food bank from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays at Francisco Middle School, 2190 Powell St. No sign-up or ID required.
- Free Eats/Free Pantry lists where to find free food, shelter, medical aid and other help in San Francisco.
- Link-SF is updating daily with food locations.
- Meals on Wheels provides meal and grocery delivery, and seeks volunteers.
- San Francisco Unified School District has sites open 9-10 a.m. Monday through Friday for anyone 18 and under to pick up breakfast, lunch, supper, fresh fruit, vegetables and milk to take home. District 3 sites are at Francisco Middle School, Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, and Gordon J. Lau Elementary School.
- Self-Help for the Elderly offers home-delivered meals, but has a long waiting list and is seeking volunteers; 415-677-7600.Â
- TEL HIÂ Neighborhood Center serves senior lunches every weekday and is now preparing meals for you to pick up. Anyone who is over the age of 60 or living with a disability can sign up at TEL HI. Sign up is easy. Just bring a valid identification (must be a San Francisco resident).
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KTSF reporter Karen Chan, my staff Calvin Yan, and Emma from Self Help for the Elderly volunteering to deliver food for seniors in need.Â
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More Help Coming for Food Security
The Give2SF.org Fund will make food security one of its three initial priorities, along with access to housing and security for workers and small businesses. Using funds from Give2SF, the City will provide grocery store gift cards to eligible San Francisco residents for online or in-person purchase of food items. Our team at the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) is working to get you the final application link - stay tuned!
A number of special populations are particularly at risk of experiencing food insecurity during the current coronavirus crisis, including undocumented and mixed status households; low‑income households with a pregnant woman or infant; and older adults and persons who have underlying health conditions who are quarantined and/or who have lost in-home support.
We will update you with more information on how to get the cards as it becomes available.
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Grocery delivery
NEXT Village SF has a large number of vetted volunteers to get groceries and run errands for anyone in a high-risk group for COVID-19; you don’t need to be a member. You can reimburse the volunteers for your purchase by Paypal, Venmo, cash or check.
Call 415-888-2868 or email info@nextvillagesf.org to arrange an errand. If you have questions or encounter any problem, call 415-572-7694 or email jjones@nextvillagesf.org.
Nextdoor.com has seen a surge of volunteers in D3 and beyond willing to pick up and deliver groceries to neighbors over age 60. If you need help, please check Nextdoor. The site also launched a Help Map and Nextdoor Groups to better connect people.
If you have friends or neighbors over age 60 who don’t have internet access, call and ask them if they need help with groceries and be the go-between with a volunteer from Nextdoor. If you use CalFresh, the state is working on options to allow online orders.
The Gateway Tenants Association is helping facilitate volunteers for grocery delivery specifically in that community, and people are posting their contact information at the door person desks.
More delivery options:
- LeBeau Market: Delivers via Caviar and Postmates via its website
- Safeway: Delivery for a charge; the website warns of delays
- Walgreens: Free delivery with no minimum purchase (includes most medications
- Whole Foods: Free two-hour delivery for Prime members in select ZIP codes; site warns inventory and delivery may be temporarily unavailable due to increased demand
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Grocery stores with special hours
If you are at high risk for COVID-19, several stores offer special hours for shopping:
- Le Beau Market: No senior hours, but seniors can cut the line
- Real Food: from 7 to 8 a.m. daily for anyone age 60 and over or with compromised immune systems
- Safeway: 7 to 9 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for age 60 and up and those with compromised immune systems
- Target: The first hour of every store's opening hours each Wednesday will be designated for those over 65; call or go online for hours of the store you wish to visit
- Trader Joe’s: A line will be reserved from 9 to 10 a.m. for seniors (age not specified, but generally considered 65 and over)
- Walgreens: 8 to 9 a.m. Tuesdays for seniors, caregivers and immediate families; discounts of up to 30 percent for age 55 and up on Tuesdays
- Whole Foods: 8 to 9 a.m. daily for those age 60 and up
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Farmers markets
Farmers markets are considered essential and allowed to operate. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at the Ferry Building has fewer farmers than usual but is still open its normal hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
They have implemented additional measures like suspending produce samplings and providing pop-up handwasing stations to ensure a safe and healthy shopping experience.Â
Please read CUESA’s COVID-19 response for more details. |
Restaurants with delivery and takeout
Chinatown Eats: A roundup of all the best takeout Chinatown has to offer with phone numbers and links to websites and delivery services, courtesy of the young leaders of the Rose Pak Democratic Club.
Dining at a Distance Bay Area: A list of restaurants offering takeout and delivery with phone numbers and links to the delivery apps and/or ordering page.Â
EaterSF: A Running List Of San Francisco Restaurants That Are Open For Delivery And Takeout
San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area restaurants open for takeout and delivery during coronavirus 'stay at home' order
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Donate a meal
Proper Food is asking customers to donate a meal to someone in need for $10. Click “order now” on their website, enter your address, choose any location for pick-up and you’ll see the donation as an item you can add to your order. You don’t have to buy a meal for yourself in order to donate.
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Support restaurants on GoFundMe
Many of our beloved local restaurant institutions are fighting for their life during this difficult time, and their employees are suffering greatly with no income. Several have set up GoFundMe pages to solicit help pay staff, continue their benefits and/or and hopefully reopen their doors in the near future. Here are the ones we know about in District 3:
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Thank you all for your kindness and support during critical times!
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My staff Lee Hepner gathering critical supply for the most vulnerable populations in congregate permanent supportive housing & Single Resident Occupancy (SRO).
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Board of Supervisors | District 3 | Aaron Peskin
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