Infation exacerbates the Bay Area’s hunger crisis

BY DEEKSHA RAJ AND DAEUN CHUNG

As California experiences the highest inflation in nearly four decades, soaring prices in the Bay Area have made food less affordable, increasing pressure on food banks. Rising food prices has led to a decrease in food banks’ donations and volunteers, rendering food banks unable to meet the demand for food.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a disruption in the global supply chain and a rapid economic collapse. Although the economy grew back after the Federal Reserve conducted an easy monetary policy to increase its interest rate from 0% to 0.25%, customers’ demand for products expanded and prices rose. Over the last year, food became 10.6% more expensive, grocery prices rose 12% and restaurant menu prices increased by 8.5%. This sharp increase in food prices has made food inaccessible to many people struggling with poverty. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1.3 billion people could not access sufficient amounts of nutritious food in 2022.

“Food insecurity and global hunger is a crisis stretching back more than 50 years,” said Graham Riches, emeritus social work professor at the University of British Columbia. “The demand for wasted food has stayed unremitting.”

People rely on food banks or pantries to meet their minimum nutritional requirements as they face higher costs. Silicon Valley Food Bank, one of the largest food banks in the Bay Area, reported a 1.7 million pound decrease in donated food compared to 2021. The number of people they distributed food to increased from 400,000 people in a year to 450,000 people each month.

According to the California Association of Food Banks, California produces half of the nation’s fruits and vegetables; yet, one in five Californians currently struggle with food insecurity. Hunger in the U.S. is mainly caused by poverty, the lack of a job or having a job that pays too little. The national economy is directly related to hunger as COVID-19 had a severe impact on employment and income, leading to many people not being able to afford food.

This crisis has also been largely driven by climate change. Extreme weather drives hunger as global temperatures and sea levels rise, and heat waves, droughts, wildfires and other natural disasters become more apparent. The increasing frequency of weather abnormalities make it harder for farmers to produce food at sufficient levels.

Due to societal inequalities, greater levels of hunger are experienced by Black, Latin and multiracial Californians. Conversely, California’s white and Asian populations experience lower rates of food insecurity.

With efforts to solve the U.S.’s current hunger crisis, the Biden administration’s plan includes implementing benefits like free school meals and food stamps, hoping to end the crisis by 2030. There are also many programs and nonprofits that raise money and collect food to help starving people. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the largest food and nutrition program in the U.S., helping low-income Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture buys food from farmers, delivering it to food banks to distribute among their community.

However, without effective income support, increasing food prices have burdened both local food banks and people in need. Recognizing their difficulties, communities have contributed to food banks in various ways, especially as unpaid volunteers.

“I found volunteering at food banks a way to help my community,” CSF activity coordinator Aarya Aluri said. “It helps people much more than expected.”

BY SARAH ZHANG

Priscilla Leang commits to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for fencing

Senior Priscilla Leang began fencing in her first grade. Since then, the sport has followed her changes of residence from New Jersey to China to California. In the fall of 2023, Leang will take up the epee for Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Leang cites her strategizing skills as the reason she can excel at fencing. In fact, many fencers refer to the sport as games of physical chess, demonstrating the importance of tactics: knowing how and when to fake or trick the opponent.

“I am not as fast as my peers,” Priscilla said, “so my strategy is more based on distance and timing.”

Priscilla is leaning toward pursuing engineering in college, though she ultimately plans to keep her choices open and explore all MIT has to offer. She is particularly interested in joining MIT’s poker club.

Leang decided to be a student athlete because she values being part of a strong community, especially in college. And after fencing for 12 years, Leang can’t imagine herself without her epee.

“Even though I have a love-hate relationship with fencing, it has been part of my life for so long,” Leang said. “My relationship with fencing is the same as how most parents love their children despite being annoyed from time to time.”

For fencers and aspiring student athletes, Leang emphasizes the importance of never

Andrew Peng commits to Colorado College for cross country and track and feld

enior Andrew Peng has committed to Colorado College for cross country and track and field after four years of consistent training. He plans to major in applied mathematics while continuing his exemplary running career, which has included his personal record of 2 minutes and 5 seconds in the 800-meter race.

“I’m able to meet other like-minded runners and make new friends through this shared sport,” Peng said. “Running is an outlet to get my mind off academic pressures.”

In ninth grade, Peng signed up for Lynbrook’s cross country team with his friends, initially treating it as a form of endurance training for long-distance races in track and field. Since, Peng has begun to run on a near-daily basis. Peng stays motivated by reminding himself about what he runs for: faster times and the sunshine and scenery outside.

Peng’s teammates look up to him as a strong leader. Despite not holding the formal position, he is regarded as the team captain. Before races, Peng brings the team together to warm-up and get ready. He is also often the first person runners will go to with questions.

“He just refuses to give up,” junior Adit Kantak said. “He’s really approachable and encouraging. With Andrew, I always feel that we’re in it together, and we’re in it to win it.”

Cross country has become more than just exercise to Peng, and he looks forward to running for as long as his body allows him to.

“Know that difficulties and obstacles will come to pass,” Peng said. “If you can work through them, you will be able to return to chasing your goals.”