Santa Clara County Food System Alliance
The Santa Clara County Food System Alliance was built off the work being done by a previously existing group called the Silicon Valley Food System Collaborative, which grow out of the Silicon Valley HealthCorp (SVHC). Led by The Health Trust, the SVFSC members came together to respond to concerns around health issues in Santa Clara County, the lack of access to healthy food, the loss of ag land in the southern part of the county, and to promote a sustainable food system in the South Bay and Northern San Benito. There are several issues facing the county and its residents:
- In 2009, 38% of adults in Santa Clara County were overweight, and 17% were obese
- Prevalence of overweight and obesity was highest for adult males, adults who are Hispanic, and adults with lower levels of income and education
- In 2007, one-quarter of middle and high school students in Santa Clara County were either overweight or obese. African American and Hispanic students had the highest rates of overweight and obesity
- In a 2009 Santa Clara County survey, only one in seven adults reported eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables the previous day
- Escalating food costs and insufficient wages are also a factor; in Santa Clara County, although the median worker earned $40,361 in 2006, the median Latino worker earned just $24,151.
- Research suggests that community, school, and home gardens can provide neighborhoods with access to locally grown produce and create greater awareness of the benefits of healthful food, greater understanding of the benefits of a local food system, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and enhanced community cohesion