MEMORANDUM

Date: May 31, 2023

Regarding: FAQs About Mayor Breed's Inadequate Food Security Funding

To: San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Staff

From: Executive Director Tanis Crosby

cc: Senior Leadership Team

What does the Mayor's City of San Francisco food security budget mean to Food Bankers? 

• As we communicated during the April Roadshow, our $10 million contract from the City of San
Francisco that funds our citywide PUPs pandemic-era program ends June 30. Because of exponential
increases in food costs, we requested $21M and needed to receive at least $15 million from the City
for these programs, which continue to serve participants at near-historic levels.

• The Food Bank is very disappointed to learn that Mayor London Breed has chosen not to prioritize
food security in her proposed City of San Francisco budget. Mayor Breed has only allotted $20M in
FY24 to address overall food security in the City, which is $10M less than the previous year. 

• Critically important, the Food Bank's citywide grocery contract would be reduced from $10M this
year to $6M for FY24. Additionally, Mayor Breed has further slashed the City's FY25 overall food
program budget to $10M and recommended zero funding for the Food Bank, showing an apparent
lack of concern for those we serve. 

• We recognize the City is facing a severe budget challenge with a 2-year deficit of $780 million. The
facts are the Covid-19 public health emergency has been declared to be over, and once robust
government resources allocated to address it are ending.  

• We are also aware that the hunger crisis we witness every day has not ended, and local government
officials must address that crisis. Our private contributions have more than doubled since the
pandemic, but it is clear more is needed. Continued government support is fundamental to
addressing the hunger crisis we are facing.

SAN FRANCISCO 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 | MARIN 2550 Kerner Boulevard, San Rafael, CA 94901
www.sfmfoodbank.org | 415-282-1900
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Is this a done deal — what happens now that the Mayor's budget has been released?

• This municipal budget process is far from over. There are months before the City's budget is
finalized. The process begins June 1 with Mayor Breed's budget. Throughout June and July, the
Board of Supervisors reviews it, hears public comments, and has the power to revise the budget.

• Throughout this period, we will strongly advocate for the Board of Supervisors to restore these
critical resources to ensure stability to the City's food security safety net. We conducted a similar
outreach campaign last year when the mayor also cut funding for anti-hunger programs. And we will
continue to provide updates on the progress of our advocacy. Last year, the contracting process also
went into late summer before we knew our budget allocations, and then into the fall when the
contract with the SF Human Services Agency was being negotiated and confirmed.   

What is the Food Bank doing to affect the final budget outcome?

• We are urging the Board of Supervisors to restore the critical resources necessary to ensure stability
in the City's Food security safety net. The Food Bank conducted a similar outreach campaign to the
Board of Supervisors last year when Mayor Breed cut funding for anti-hunger programs. 

• Our budget outreach, directed by the Policy & Advocacy team, includes Tanis and other Food Bank
representatives speaking at multiple budget hearings held by the Board of Supervisors. It also
includes direct outreach to members of the Board of Supervisors who are familiar with the impact
and reach of the Food Bank. 

• Our MarCom department will also strategically elevate the Food Bank mission and impact in the
media and content developed in collaboration with the Development, Programs, and Supply Chain
departments. 

When will we know what the impact of the City's budget will be on the Food Bank?
 
• The City's budget process begins June 1 with Mayor Breed's proposal. From June 15 to June 26, the
Board of Supervisor review it, public comments are heard, and the Board of Supervisors make
recommended changes to the budget and vote on it. 

• Throughout the process, the Food Bank will strongly advocate for the Board of Supervisors to
restore these critical resources to ensure stability to the City's food security safety net. We will
continue to provide community updates on the progress of our advocacy between now and July 31,

SAN FRANCISCO 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 | MARIN 2550 Kerner Boulevard, San Rafael, CA 94901
www.sfmfoodbank.org | 415-282-1900
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 when the budget is finalized, and in the months afterwards once the SF Human Services Agency
confirms funding contracts.

What happens if the Board of Supervisors does not restore the funding cuts that Mayor Breed made; can we
rely on our emergency reserves?

• Because of persistent inflationary costs, and donor fatigue, we have revised our deficit back to $8M.
We will begin next year with $12 million in emergency reserves, and we must be strategic in moving
forward. While our private contributions have more than doubled since the pandemic, continued
government support is fundamental to our operations, serving our participants and addressing the
hunger crisis we face. 

• The facts are the Covid-19 public health emergency has been declared over. The City is facing a
severe budget deficit, and there is uncertainty about long-term local support. Even so, we will
continue to advocate that our local government recognize the growing hunger crisis and the
importance of the City's food safety net in addressing it. 

• As we have communicated earlier, we continue to focus on moving from crisis response to financial
sustainability and transformation. In addition to a hiring slowdown and rethinking our approach to
addressing open positions and our work through innovation and adaptation, we continue taking
strategic steps to control costs as we move back to our pre-pandemic norms.

• These financial sustainability steps also include a return to famers market style pantries, assisting
our partner pantries to reopen, limiting program enrollments, reducing reliance on temporary help
like Instaworkers, and de-duplicating households to make sure each household only receives one
portion of groceries each week as we did pre-pandemic.  

• As noted earlier, throughout this process, we will continue to update the community on our budget
advocacy progress. And we will remain focused on our mission, prioritizing our staff, equity, those
we serve, and always guided by the compass of our values.

SAN FRANCISCO 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 | MARIN 2550 Kerner Boulevard, San Rafael, CA 94901
www.sfmfoodbank.org | 415-282-1900
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