• FOOD ACCESS – Close proximity of grocery stores in our neighborhoods, especially in low income communities.
  
  
• FOOD QUALITY – The availability and variety of healthy foods, in good condition, and clean, safe store environments.
  
  
• JOB QUALITY – Good wages, healthcare benefits, safety standards and a voice at work, with employees treated with dignity and respect.
  
  
• HEALTHY CHILDREN AND ADULTS – Policies to prevent the growing epidemic of obesity and diabetes, especially among our children.
  
  
• HEALTHY SENIORS – Access to affordable nutritious meals.
  
  

The food system in Silicon Valley contains injustices for children, families, seniors and workers.

Nearly 1 of 3 kids under 5 in our County is over-weight because they eat the wrong kinds of food, not because they eat too much food. Obesity leads to diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma, and psychological problems. Nutritious food can be hard to find. There are 4 times more fast-food restaurants than produce vendors or markets selling nutritious food. Local nutrition agencies worry that tight budget times will prevent people from getting government food assistance in the future.

Food systems workers are often struggling. Nationally, the average salary of food system workers is $21,692 – well below the self-sufficiency standard. So many who we rely on to produce our food are immigrants – who are exploited by false legal threats and made vulnerable under our laws.

Join Just Food Silicon Valley to bring justice to our food system.

Just Food Silicon Valley promotes the work of the many organizations engaged in bringing justice to the food system in Silicon Valley. Many resources are available for those seeking to expand their involvement food justice.

A-F   G-M   N-S   T-Z
A-F
	Advocate Food Access – United Way
	Bay Area Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition
	CA Food and Justice Coalition
	Catholic Charities SCC – Cal Fresh, Senior Nutrition, Nutrition Education
	Community Alliance with Family Farmers
	Food Empowerment Project
	Food and Water Watch
	Full Circle Farm
G-M
	Health Trust
	Hunger Issues Forum
	La Mesa Verde
	Mercado Workers Campaign
N-S
	National Farmworker Ministry
	Public Health Law and Policy
	Roots of Change
	Santa Clara County Food System Alliance
	Second Harvest Food Bank
	Silicon Valley Health Corps
	Slow Food South Bay
T-Z
	United Farm Workers
	Unite Here
	Veggielution

Muslims, Jews and Christians to speak out for ‘food justice’ over Labor Day weekend

From the farm worker in the field to the stock clerk at the neighborhood grocery to the poor whose neighborhoods are dominated by fast-food outlets rather than markets stocked with nutritious foods, the Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice will mount a massive outreach effort to Silicon Valley faith congregations over the Labor Day weekend to promote "food justice."

The 13th annual Labor in the Pulpits program – largest in the nation – underscores each Labor Day the remarkable collaboration and harmony in the Silicon Valley interfaith community around issues of economics and justice.

Rabbis and Muslims will speak to Catholics, Catholics will preach to Protestants, Buddhists will speak in synagogues and labor leaders will speak in their own houses of worship. Together, they will reach out to tens of thousands of worshipers in English, Spanish and Vietnamese during Christian, Jewish and Unitarian services Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 2-4.

"We are a long way from food justice in Santa Clara County," said Elisa Koff-Ginsborg, the Interfaith Council’s interim director. “Those who produce and prepare our food are often ignored or mistreated, and those who need healthy food often can’t get it. That’s why we are raising such a fundamentally important issue among the people of faith who are called to justice by their various religious traditions.” Worshipers will receive information on local food justice resources available at www.svjustfood.com and are invited to the first ever Silicon Valley Food Justice Summit this fall.

Just Food Silicon Valley is coordinated by Working Partnerships USA and the Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice.

Working Partnerships USA builds partnerships with community groups, labor unions and faith-based organizations to improve the lives of working families in Silicon Valley.

The Interfaith Council is an association of more than 400 clergy and laity who address the crisis of working poverty and provide a moral framework for public dialogue on issues of social justice.

Elisa Koff-Ginsborg
Interim Director, Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice
Associate Director of Community Education
Working Partnerships USA
2102 Almaden Rd. #107
San Jose, CA 95125
408-269-7872 ext. 578
Fax 408-269-0183
justfood@wpusa.org