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The Silicon Valley Paradox: One In Four People Are At Risk of Hunger (theguardian.com)
Zorro shares a report from The Guardian: One in four people in Silicon Valley are at risk of hunger, researchers at the Second Harvest food bank have found. Using hundreds of community interviews and data modeling, a new study suggests that 26.8% of the population -- almost 720,000 people -- qualify as "food insecure" based on risk factors such as missing meals, relying on food banks or food stamps, borrowing money for food, or neglecting bills and rent in order to buy groceries. Nearly a quarter are families with children. "We call it the Silicon Valley paradox," says Steve Brennan, the food bank's marketing director. "As the economy gets better we seem to be serving more people." Since the recession, Second Harvest has seen demand spike by 46%. The bank is at the center of the Silicon Valley boom -- both literally and figuratively. It sits just half a mile from Cisco's headquarters and counts Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg among its major donors. But the need it serves is exacerbated by this industry's wealth; as high-paying tech firms move in, the cost of living rises for everyone else.
The scale of the problem becomes apparent on a visit to Second Harvest, the only food bank serving Silicon Valley and one of the largest in the country. In any given month it provides meals for 257,000 people -- 66m pounds of food last year. Because poverty is often shrouded in shame, their clients' situations can come as a surprise. "Often we think of somebody visibly hungry, the traditional homeless person," Brennan said. "But this study is putting light on the non-traditional homeless: people living in their car or a garage, working people who have to choose between rent and food, people without access to a kitchen."
The scale of the problem becomes apparent on a visit to Second Harvest, the only food bank serving Silicon Valley and one of the largest in the country. In any given month it provides meals for 257,000 people -- 66m pounds of food last year. Because poverty is often shrouded in shame, their clients' situations can come as a surprise. "Often we think of somebody visibly hungry, the traditional homeless person," Brennan said. "But this study is putting light on the non-traditional homeless: people living in their car or a garage, working people who have to choose between rent and food, people without access to a kitchen."
What does it even mean to be "at risk" of hunger? It seems to me that you are either hungry or you're not.
Perhaps the people that can't afford food should move to Gilroy and save $1000 per month in rent (per bedroom).
Meanwhile, 100% of the people in SV are "at risk" of an asteroid impact.
Taxes don't matter because the money goes to government worker pensions.
Pensions don't build or repair roads.
Pensions don't teach schoolchildren.
Pensions don't put out fires.
Pensions don't solve crimes or keep the peace.
Pensions don't feed the poor or provide for the needy.
Pensions don't keep the air and water clean.
It likely doesn't help that their liberal policies are welcoming to people who want nothing to do with being productive members of society. When I talk to friends who aren't doing well economically I tend to suggest ways they can get ahead of things that are hurting them. Mostly it is telling them to get out and then stay out of debt. I'll not elaborate, but there are people in this world who gave up on working to better their lot. It is really sad, but when we facilitate failure we can't be surprised when people continue to fail as adults. While it is hurtful to society that there are places like SF where their irresponsible radical liberal views hold people down; what is so much worse is the cultural beliefs held by some that because that are X they will never amount to anything. That "the man" is holding them down. That the world conspires somehow against them.
I am deeply disgusted by people who persist these discouraging lies. The hopeless and broken wretches who seek to bring those around them down as an excuse for their own failures in life. These are truly worthless human beings who are nothing but a determent to mankind.