 "Photo: Wendy Gray/Polyface Farms")
The CSM library featured "food issues" books in the display area on the second floor for National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week on Nov. 17 to Nov. 21. The display will be up until the last day of the fall semester on Dec. 19, after which the library will be closed for the winter break.CSM library "food issues" display
"National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week happens around the time of Thanksgiving, so there are themes of consumerism and hunger in the books display," wrote Michele Alaniz, Web Services and Instruction librarian in an e-mail to The San Matean. " While Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, it is also necessary to be aware that there are also people starving and living on the streets. A number of the books also look at obesity and the ways that food is processed and marketed in the United States. Again, this can be a tie-in to consumerism or wealth and its counter, poverty."
"I saw the (Second Harvest) food bank bins around campus and it got me thinking about food issues," said Lia Thomas, adjunct librarian who set up the display. "More people are changing the way they think about food," Thomas said, who has read The New York Times selling The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, one of the books featured in the display. "They are no longer looking at the cheapest and fastest food, but more about where food come from and how it is produced, the health and ethical issues concerning food."
Food for Thought Learning Community, who was responsible for bringing Second Harvest Food Bank bins to CSM, involves seven professors: English teachers Lucia Olson, Allison Miller, Joyce Heyman; ethnic studies teacher Lewis Kawahara; geography teacher Angela Skinner; political science teacher Erin Scholnick and sociology teacher Minu Mathur. Their classes meet together to work on common assignments involving food. Heyman and Olson are co-coordinators of the learning community.
All of the teachers could not be reached for comment owing to it being Finals Week.
The learning community hosted a presentation by Joe Pert and Michelle Wall of the Second Harvest Food Bank on the topic of hunger in the community on Oct. 14. Pert requested food donations from students and staff as part of a campus wide food drive which ended Dec. 11.
"We collected 786 pounds (of food) from CSM!" wrote Wall in an e-mail to The San Matean.
"CSM students and staff who want to donate food after the last collection date of Dec. 11 can do so online through shfb.org or by calling 866-234-3663," said Lynn Crocker, director of marketing and communications at Second Food Harvest Bank in a phone interview. "All donations are appreciated as more people are coming in needing food because of the recession."
"Donating once the drive is over is easiest done online," Wall wrote. "Financial contributions are essential to our function, and every dollar provides two nutritious meals. Supporters can donate online to the College of San Mateo Food Drive at www.virtualharvest.net- select 'Schools' and 'College of San Mateo.' Our Virtual Store gives donors an idea of our huge purchasing power and is available year-round, 24 hours a day."
"We accept donations, food and financial, year-round at our facility at 1051 Bing Street in San Carlos," Wall continued. "For more information on our hours, volunteer opportunities and other ways to get involved, you can visit www.shfb.org.
Twice-weekly farmers' market hosted at CSM
Students looking for local and fresh produce can visit the twice-weekly farmers' market held every Wednesday and Saturday at CSM.
"It is my favourite day of the week (to come to the farmers' market)," said Svetlana Sicular of Foster City. "It is quiet today (Wednesday) and it is a great location."
Jeanette Zanchettini of San Mateo tries to visit the farmers' market host at CSM at least once a week.
Zanchettini's father used to own a three-to-five-acre farm in South San Francisco. She remembers working all day in the fields, loading green beans, carrots and lettuce into wet sacks onto a truck each Friday to be taken to cities like Stockton and Riverton and sold at the farmers' market every Saturday.
Zanchettini recalled watching "Food Inc.", a documentary featuring Pollan on screen and behind the scenes as a consultant, and mentioned a scene in the documentary where a family of four could not afford a head of cabbage and instead bought eight burgers from a fast food restaurant for a meal.
"It is hard to keep your children healthy eating that kind of food," Zanchettini said.
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