Metro serves as the facilitating organization of the CalFresh and EBT Advocacy Taskforce, which is made up of roughly 40 agencies in Fresno County. The Taskforce meets bi-monthly to share and explore best practices to raise awareness of hunger issues and CalFresh and Nutrition Education outreach. The Fresno County Department of Social Services representative provides guidance and coordination of local and state food policies advocacy, as well as keeps the Taskforce abreast of county policy changes, rules, regulations and resources. As advocates, one of our primary goals is to bring food resources to the under-served and un-served populations in both urban and rural areas of Fresno County.
In addition to leading the Taskforce, Metro's advocacy efforts include coordinating and partnering with dozens of community organizations and education institutions to provide CalFresh outreach and nutrition education presentations and forums. Topics include food resources such as CalFresh eligibility and application assistance, WIC, Summer Lunch programs, Food Distribution Centers and Food Resources hot lines. The outreach team goes beyond CalFresh application assistance, as we continue working with the families on case follow-ups, reporting and recertification. Last year, we conducted a total of 60 presentations, serving over 1000 individuals or families.