The astonishing results of Garcia’s research project on hunger, conducted in 1983, received national attention; her research was replicated in 16 California counties in the 1980s and 1990s. Garcia, who spent her career helping low-income Sonoma County residents eat better, retires Sept. 30.

 

Garcia’s work led to an invitation to speak to a congressional subcommittee on hunger in Washington, D.C. The exposure of hunger in affluent Sonoma County sparked a community effort to coordinate local food pantry services and, out of that, came the development of the Redwood Empire Food Bank, which today serves 50,000 Northern California residents each month.

 

“I don’t think the food bank would have been possible without her,” said Georgia Berland, who co-founded the organization with Garcia. “We really needed clear research to convince those hearing other messages to recognize the reality of the problem. She did a lot of the research and support work, making sure the evidence was clear and incontrovertible.”

 

Garcia earned a bachelor’s degree in nutrition at UC Berkeley in 1972 and a master’s degree in nutrition education at California State University, San Francisco, in 1981. She worked for the USDA’s Women, Infants and Children nutrition program before being hired to work alongside preeminent UC Berkeley nutrition researcher and educator Joanne Ikeda in 1974.

 

“We tested curriculum, tested activities and tested recipes,” Garcia said. “Joanne is a dynamo.”

 

In 1979, Garcia became the home economics advisor for Sonoma County. Twenty years later, she was promoted to county director, but maintained her nutrition, family and consumer sciences duties. During her tenure as county director, the Cooperative Extension staff was relocated to a new building, the county budget for the program grew from $400,000 annually to $1.5 million, and county staff was added for field assistance and the 4-H program.

 

Even in retirement, Garcia’s focus is on the community. She asked that, in lieu of retirement gifts, donations be made to a scholarship fund managed by the Sonoma County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The scholarship, which to date is more than $1,000, will be awarded to a college-bound student in June 2009.

 

Garcia has received the honor of emeritus advisor status from the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She said she will continue her community volunteer work, including presentation of a food preservation course for the UC Master Gardener program in Sonoma County. In addition, she plans yoga, bike riding and reading during retirement.