Originally posted in the Vacaville Reporter: The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano believes that it’s good to think outside of the box; actually, we think outside cans and bags too. We recognize the value in packaged food. It is less complicated to transport, is convenient and has a longer shelf life. However, we also realize the importance of balancing diets with healthier options. That is why we are committed to providing people with fresh fruits and vegetables.

The data is clear, consuming fresh produce is vital for our health. It combats obesity and diabetes, improves well-being and is the natural way of getting vitamins and nutrients that the mind and body need. Unfortunately, fresh produce can be out of reach to those on a tight food budget.

In the early days of the Food Bank, donations of produce were a small part of our operation. We received fruit from backyard trees and received donations from a local produce market. We occasionally got donations of cabbage or cantaloupe from local fields. The produce was welcome, but it was random and was not a significant portion of the food we distributed.

Fast forward four decades and the Food Bank now provides people in need with over 10 million pounds of produce a year. In fact, we have two distribution programs that focus exclusively on getting fruits and vegetables to food-insecure community members.

The Food Bank’s Farm 2 Kids program works in conjunction with after-school programs to provide fresh produce to kids, even when school is out. Many children who receive free or discounted breakfasts and lunches during the school year have no choice but to skip meals during the summer break. Farm 2 Kids helps bridge that gap for thousands of school-aged children.

Last summer, we distributed over 176,000 pounds of fresh produce through our special Farm 2 Kids summer program. This summer we are continuing to build the program. We are making healthy fruits and vegetables available to over 5,900 kids each week, at 46 sites, in partnership with dozens of programs across Contra Costa and Solano counties.

In addition to receiving produce, the children are educated about the benefits of eating healthy. Not only are their growing bodies being nourished now, but healthy lifelong eating habits are being reinforced for their future.

The other program that focuses exclusively on distributing produce is the appropriately named Community Produce Program. We started it in 2013 and it quickly became our second largest distribution program. Fresh produce is distributed year-round using customized refrigerated trucks that serve as mobile farmers’ markets.

Today we have 55 Community Produce Program distribution sites that provide produce to people twice a month. Last year, through this program alone, we provided over three million pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables to low-income families. People of all ages, including children and seniors, benefit from this resource and receive produce that they otherwise might not afford.

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano believes fresh fruits and vegetables should not be considered a luxury. Our entire society benefits when everyone has access to healthy food. Together, we are not only fighting hunger, we are also strengthening the population’s overall health.

Originally posted in The Vacaville Reporter: Working at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano for all of these years has taught me that many of our senior citizens are food-insecure because they struggle financially. Thirty years ago we started our Senior Food Program, to help this often-vulnerable segment of our population.

Our goal was to provide some supplemental food assistance to low-income seniors, age 55 and older. We saw that people who relied on Social Security as the bulk of their retirement income had difficulty making ends meet. Three decades later, that has not changed.

One thing that has changed is that thirty years ago it was much more common for people to retire with an employee-sponsored pension to help in their golden years as a reward for years of dedicated service. Nowadays most people are expected to self-fund their retirement accounts, but not everyone can afford to do so. When you are barely getting by and having difficulty paying your bills in the present, it’s hard to put away money for the future.

An ongoing problem within the Social Security system is that while the cost of food, housing and healthcare are always on the rise, increases in benefits are minimal or nonexistent. Social Security benefits simply don’t keep up with the rising cost of living, especially in the Bay Area.

A senior we recently spoke with at a distribution explained, “When you live on social security only, you have to budget very, very carefully.” She shared that receiving food from the Food Bank “takes a lot of pressure off of you because you know you can always go down and get a loaf of bread. You can get something to make a stew.”

Another senior at the distribution explained, “It helps with your weekly food budget. Every little bit helps. That’s less money we have to spend at the grocery store that we can use for something else like shampoo or bath soap.”

In addition to the Senior Food Program, low-income seniors can receive food through some of the Food Bank’s other direct distribution programs, including the Community Produce Program and Harvest to Home. We also partner with other nonprofit agencies that provide assistance to seniors through their pantries and soup kitchens.

We are thankful for our supporters who allow us to provide seniors with the nutritious food they deserve. If you are interested in making a financial donation to fight senior hunger, visit us at www.foodbankccs.org/seniors. If you are a senior needing assistance, please visit www.foodbankccs.org/getfood to get more information about a Senior Food Program distribution in your city.

The number of seniors we serve has grown over the years. Many of the seniors we talk to were once hard-working people who never imagined that they’d need assistance from a food bank someday. Aging is inevitable and people are living longer than ever. We need to let seniors know that we care and send the message that our society still values them.

Most of the seniors we serve never imagined that they would someday be in the position of needing assistance from the Food Bank. Colleen, age 71, is no exception. She worked as a Dental Nurse for years.  When her husband fell ill with cancer, she became his full-time caregiver. Now a widow for five years, she lives solely on her social security.

Like many seniors, Colleen has to make tough choices with her limited income, especially when it comes to paying for medical expenses.

“The price of meds is going up so high. One of my medicines went from a $1.20 co-pay to a $20.00 co-pay,” Colleen explains. She told her doctor that she was not going to be able to pay for that one any longer. “Yeah, I’ve had to make those choices and I’ve done without the medicine. It’s very real; it’s very very real.”

Colleen adds, “I’ve needed new glasses for a couple of years and I can’t afford them. Medicare covers the cost of an eye exam, but they don’t cover the cost of glasses.”

Colleen is extremely thankful for the food she receives from the Food Bank by way of a partnering pantry. “It makes it so much easier to live day-to-day. I don’t need a lot, but boy it sure comes in handy. Just a can of soup or a loaf of bread or a piece of meat, I can make that last for three or four days. It’s just saved my life.”

She enjoys giving back to the community by volunteering at the pantry and being the coordinator of the monthly dinners at her senior housing development. She encourages others to not feel ashamed for needing assistance. “If you are hungry and you don’t have the funds to buy yourself some decent food and take care of yourself, you need to find out about these programs and let people help you.”

To learn more and to make a financial gift to help seniors the Food Bank provide assistance, visit www.foodbankccs.org/seniors.