Mountain View firefighters hand out food to seniors as hunger grows in older population

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- Mountain View Firefighters didn't need lights and sirens to help their community Tuesday as they handed out food to hundreds at the Mountain View Senior Center.

This is the 14th year Mountain View Firefighters of Local 1965, with assistance from Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, handed out food at the center.

"We found out the seniors needed extra, a little extra love during the holidays," said Mountain View Fire Captain Melton Wong.

Second Harvest says nearly 57,000 seniors in Silicon Valley rely on on the food bank every month.

They are the fastest growing food-insecure population in the U.S. and the number of seniors struggling with hunger is projected to double in the next 10 years. Diane Baker Hayward from the Second Harvest Food Bank says,

"They're 50-percent more likely to have diabetes. They're 60-percent more likely to have heart problems and they're three times more likely to have depression. So, it's really important to have resources available for them." Second Harvest Food Bank has several programs for seniors in Silicon Valley.

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