Posted on

Alameda food bank aims to serve

OAKLAND, Calif. — Many people struggle for food every day in Alameda County and many of those are ineligible for federal aid, such as food stamps. Tiffany Kang, communications coordinator of the Alameda County Community Food Bank, said, “Many people simply buy what is the cheapest,” because they are unable to afford more expensive, though healthier, foods such as fruits and vegetables. That’s where the food bank comes in. The nonprofit organization is a hub and food distribution center for 240 agencies, including the Salvation Army and soup kitchens, its partners in the combating hunger.

Kang’s job includes writing material for the website and brochures, overseeing social media and working with reporters. She said the part of her job she enjoys the most is getting out of the office and meeting with clients, “just standing in line and talking to people who are actually getting food from us.”

She said, “We treat all clients equally, no questions asked.” Food insecurity, she said, comes in many forms, whether it means not having breakfast or not being able to afford apples. “If you’re in line, you’re hungry,” she said.

IMG_4053
Student volunteers package carrots on a recent weekday; more than 13,000 volunteer annually. Photo by Cassidy Hopkins

On a recent weekday volunteers sorted and bagged 1, 700 pounds of carrots and 8,241 pounds of pears for a total of 9,941 pounds of produce. “This is like saying we were able to create the equivalent of 8,251 meals for individuals and families in Alameda County in a couple of hours yesterday morning,” said Sheila Burks, the volunteer coordinator.

Throughout the year the food bank distributes food in many ways, not only through its partner agencies but also through its new mobile pantry.

Most of their clients are children, and Kang said, “The food bank donates to a lot of elementary schools,” and hopes to expand to middle schools. Other agencies that get food from the community food bank are soup kitchens, rehabilitationcenters, the Salvation Army and churches.

Are there people who line up who don’t really need food? Kang said, “Out of 20 people in line, if one person who really needed food is fed, we’re doing our job right.”

Posted on

BUILD is back

photo(1)
BUILD’s sign shows off its bold design and theme.

 BUILD Pizzeria opened for dinner after a small kitchen fire the week before. The assistant manager, who was at the restaurant finishing paperwork at the time, smelled the smoke and came out of the office to see that a plastic dish rack had been left on the stove. Although no one was injured in the fire, the restaurant was closed to repair and regroup. Jonatan Martinez, the general manager, said the reopening on Friday night, Aug. 1, was successful.

Picture taken by Tisien Palacio
Sous Chef Jonathan Popenuck shows the authentic wood fire ovens imported from Italy; they cook pizzas in 3 to 5 minutes. Photo by Tisien Palacio

BUILD was conceived by owners  Lisa Holt and David Shapiro, who wanted to create a pizza restaurant that had an authentic, but relaxed atmosphere, as they had experienced in Italy. They designed the restaurant with an emphasis on minimalism, bold color choices and packaging and mural-sized black-and-white photographs.

Set in an ideal location in the heart of downtown Berkeley and close to the University of California, Berkeley’s campus, BUILD has a diverse crowd. Martinez said, “In true Berkeley fashion, a lot of everything.”

Due to the number of pizza places in Berkeley each restaurant must have a unique aspect that sets it apart from others.

“I don’t think there’s anyone doing the kind of pizza we’re doing,” said Martinez. “For us, we’re our own biggest competitors.” As the name suggests, the restaurant allows its customers to “build” pizzas and main dishes. They can choose from among 42 toppings, seven types of cheese, six sauces and two different crusts. Sous chef Jonathan Popenuck said he once tried to figure out how many different combinations people could create, but gave up.

In the future, BUILD staffers hope to open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.  In terms of the menu, Popenuck said, “I would like to see more seasonal dishes and a more malleable menu.”