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September 2012 Seventeen Point Two Million
Serving Alamo and Diablo
By Ashley Hagin Seventeen point two million. This is the number of households in 2011 that faced food insecurity, an ungainly term that the United States Department of Agriculture uses to describe hunger. Seventeen point two million families, or one out of every six Americans, have inconsistent access to adequate food; families depending on food assistance programs are typically limited to poor food options. So what can be done? The Urban Farmers, a Lafayette based non-profit organization that uses fruit trees to highlight the plight of the unsustainable industrial food system, is tackling the problem of hunger head on. Siamack Sioshansi, executive director of The Urban Farmers,
explains that the organization’s goal is “to feed the poor the good food we want to eat: fresh, healthy, local.” The process is simple. Local residents register backyard fruit trees with the organization, and volunteers visit the homes to harvest excess fruit for donation to hunger relief agencies such as Loaves and Fishes and Monument Crisis Center. Imperfect pieces of fruit are donated to animal hospitals such as Walnut Creek’s Lindsay Wildlife Museum. “We are developing a new social production framework to address the issue of hunger in America. The framework is designed to lower the barriers to entry and enable many communities to harvest backyard fruit for donation,” says Sioshansi. The project welcomes individual volunteers. “Last year when my parents came to visit us, my sister and I organized our families, nine of us, to help The Urban Farmers harvest pears,” says Danville resident Colette Kuhnsman. “It was a fun outing with three generations of gleaners in one spot.” The strength of the project is in its support for self-organizing teams from a variety of organizations. Any group such as students, members of garden clubs, civic organizations, local charities, houses of worship, scouts, or local businesses looking to serve the community can organize a harvest. “When working with groups, we provide the ‘common resources’ that any backyard harvest team needs, such as a truck, ladders, harvest equipment, registration software and, most importantly, the insurance coverage. In turn, each team provides the ‘community
See Glean continued on page 30
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Eugene O’Neill Festival Celebrates 75th Anniversary of Tao House By Jody Morgan The Eugene O’Neill Foundation, the National Parks Service, Role Players Ensemble Theatre, Alamo-Danville Artists Society and the Museum of the San Ramon Valley are collaborating on a month-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Danville home where Eugene and Carlotta O’Neill lived from 1937-1944. The event began with the August 24th opening at the Village Theatre Gallery of Tao House Through Artists Eyes and culminates in the production at the Tao House Barn the final weekend of September of A Moon for the Misbegotten. The Eugene O’Neill Foundation, responsible for creating programs that promote O’Neill’s vision and generate understanding of the legacy of the Nobel Laureate and four-time Pulitzer Prize winning American playwright, invites patrons to a pre-performance event. Enter the world of Eugene and Carlotta O’Neill as you gather with other guests in the Tao House courtyard on September 28th and 29th in support of the Foundation’s mission. Included in the $75 ticket price, in addition to a deli-box dinner, wine, beer, desserts and music, are an introduction to A Moon The Tao House barn serves as the O’Neill Festival theatre. for the Misbegotten by O’Neill scholar Dan Cawthon and priority seating. Transportation to Tao House is provided free of charge by the National Park Service, which maintains the property. Those attending the fundraiser will be picked up at 5:45pm in front of the Museum of the San Ramon Valley.
See O’Neill continued on page 30
Don’t Miss the Alamo Music Festival September 8th Come on out to the Alamo Rotary Club’s 30th annual Music & Wine Festival on Saturday, September 8th from noon to 10PM at Alamo Plaza. The Music and Wine Festival has become “Alamo’s Block Party” and will feature food, wine, music, dancing, a raffle and other activities for the entire family. The event is the principal fundraiser for the Alamo Rotary Club’s efforts to support music programs in our local schools. Dinner and raffle tickets may be purchased at the event, from any Alamo Rotary member, or by calling (925) 855-1136. For the music line-up for the night, please see page 22. For more information, visit the Alamo Rotary Club website at www.alamorotary.org, or see our Facebook page by searching alamorotary.
Volume XII - Number 9 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Sharon Burke ~ Writer sburke@yourmonthlypaper.com The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.