Despite assistance, food insecurity remains highest for East San Jose families, study finds

DURING THE LAST 10 DAYS of every month, Julia pulls together whatever scant meals she can with produce from food banks and canned items until her food benefits renew.

The 28-year-old, who didn’t provide her last name for privacy reasons, receives about $600 a month in food stamps to feed herself and three children. She uses that money to stock up on meat, enough to last about three weeks, and goes to the food bank for fruits and vegetables weekly. The produce usually lasts a couple days before going bad, she said.