Thanks to the power of our collective advocacy, policy partnerships and drive to end hunger, we are witnessing historic investments in the state’s food bank system, food assistance programs, and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. Not only are the investments themselves substantial, this funding further expresses the values of our state: that ending hunger for all Californians is a top priority!
To add to the celebration, every budget request that our food bank engaged with this year landed in the final California budget, showing the efficacy and necessity of our larger advocacy network. The anti-hunger priorities are historic for another reason: California will be the FIRST STATE in the nation to implement Universal School Meals (Skinner SB 364), which will provide free breakfast and lunch to ALL K-12 California students regardless of family income or immigration status.
The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is fortunate to have community advocates deeply involved in our advocacy efforts. A focal point of our advocacy is to incorporate the voices of those in our community who have experienced food insecurity, and support them in effectively sharing their powerful stories with our organization, elected officials and our extended community. Our advocates have been instrumental this year in helping achieve our policy goals by bringing the qualitative aspect to our policy steering.
This success wouldn’t be possible without the support of our incredible community, which has shown up to fight hunger, advocate and educate in so many ways. It was not just our advocacy that made these funding investments possible; the long-standing engagement and support of our larger network paved the way for these historic outcomes.
Here are some highlights of the funds that will benefit our network, the Food Bankand food assistance programs:
- $110 Million: a one-time investment to support food banks in purchasing food due to the increased need triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic
- 182 Million: one-time support for California food banks specifically in capacity and infrastructure,such as increased storage, refrigeration space, trucks for distribution, etc.
- The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano will also receive direct funding to expand and improve transportation logistics and volunteer services.
- $32 Million: this is an investment in disaster resiliency for our state’s food banks. Food banks are emergency providers, and the last few years have shown that we need to be prepared for any emergency so we can respond to the best of our ability.
- CalFresh:
- Simplified application for seniors/those experiencing disabilities
- Outreach for older adults
- College students: eligibility expansion and expanded enrollment
In celebration and gratitude,
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Advocacy Team
With questions or comments please reach out to Cassidie Bates at 925-334-2766 or [email protected]
We are excited to introduce our new Communications Director, Diana Brennan, who joined the Food Bank family in February. Diana brings with her more than 
Most of us are happy to have 2020 in our rearview mirror, but honestly, many of its challenges, as they relate to hunger, are going to continue to be a part of the narrative for 2021. One good thing about the year-that-shall-not-be-named is that the long-standing issue of hunger in America is now in the national spotlight. Hunger is often highlighted during the holidays, but it’s actually a year-round national crisis. Now that hunger is in the headlines, we must help fill the immediate need, while also creating long-lasting changes.
If you don’t think kids can make a difference, let us introduce you to Austin Brannan. The inspirational eleven-year-old from Alamo was motivated to take action after being introduced to a “21 Days of Kindness” program at school. The program was designed by the volunteer organization, KindSpring, to teach kids how daily acts of kindness have the potential to change the world. 
Dear Food Bank Family,
In the past two weeks, we have seen a dramatic increase in the demand for our services. We anticipate that need will grow exponentially as schools remain closed and paychecks disappear. As a supporter of the Food Bank, we wanted to give you an inside look at what it’s like to lead in a crisis and adapt our services to the ever-changing new normal.
What have been your biggest obstacles in getting food out to the people who need it? Initially, the biggest obstacle we faced was the fact that many of our core volunteers are in a vulnerable age group and could no longer help. It has been incredible to see our calls to the community for more volunteers being answered. We also needed to implement new safety measures at hundreds of direct food distributions to make sure that staff, volunteers, and clients are maintaining social distancing. One way we achieved this was by developing drive-thru food pickups! Additionally, we continue to work closely with our vast network of partner agencies to help them stay open in order to maximize our collective outreach.
What keeps you going during these uncertain times?
The biggest fundraiser of the year, the Nourish Gala, had to be canceled this year due to the pandemic. How can our supporters help make up for that loss?