Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

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New food drive administrator comes full circle

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Donations slow down considerably this time of year, which is why the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive, the nation’s largest one-day food drive, is vital for the Food Bank and for the people it serves.

The concept behind the annual event is actually quite simple. On the Saturday before every Mother’s Day, community members are encouraged to place a bag of nonperishable groceries by their mailbox. From there, countless postal workers, food bankers, and volunteers transport and sort the food to give out to people in need.

Coordinating this massive effort behind the scenes is Neil Zarchin, the Food Bank’s new Food Drive Administrator. With over 6 years of experience in food banking, 33 years of experience as a letter carrier, and a defining memory from his childhood fueling his passion to fight hunger–there is no one more qualified to hit the ground running.

Although Neil is new to this role as Food Drive Administrator, he might be a familiar face to some. Before taking on his new position, he was the Food Bank’s Grant Writer. It was his extensive roots with the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive (also known as Stamp Out Hunger) that gave him the desire to initially seek employment at the Food Bank after he retired from the Post Office in 2012. “The more I got to know about the nature of hunger in America, and the work of the Food Bank, the more inspired I became. I knew I wanted to work at the Food Bank when I grew up,” he says with a smile.

Neil’s roots to the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive go back almost three decades before it came nationwide. He recalls when just a few of the local post offices within the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) union started participating in these food drives, including Martinez and Fairfield. Neil ended up serving as the NALC Branch Coordinator for the event for an astounding 17 years!

It’s not just his past work experience that makes Neil an asset to the Food Bank. Beyond his ideal resume is a deep empathy for others that is essential in pulling off a food drive of this magnitude.

Neil recalls, “When I was 10 years old, someone broke into our garage and cleaned out our extra freezer; nothing else was taken. I asked my parents if they were going to call the police and they said ‘no because they could have taken everything and they only took food and they can have it.’ That made a huge impression on me and I’ve held onto that.”

Having done the work himself, Neil can vouch to the tremendous effort the letter carriers put into this event. At the same time, he can offer some perspective on behalf of those who will end up receiving the food. “Working the food drive as a letter carrier is an incredibly difficult day, but it’s one day a year. Everyone is more than willing to pitch in and make it happen. We all realize it’s easier to work one very difficult day than it is to be struggling week after week, juggling bills and trying to feed your family nutritious food.”

When you are at the store this week, please pick up some extra nonperishable groceries and leave them in a bag by your mailbox before delivery on Saturday, May 11. Click here for our list of most needed food. Every can, bag and box of food makes a difference!

 

Lend your voice on Hunger Action Day, May 22

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Representatives from the Food Bank will bus up to the State Capitol on Hunger Action Day, May 22, to meet up with other hunger-fighting advocates from throughout California. They will share their stories with elected officials and call for legislative change.

Even if you can’t be with us in Sacramento, we urge you to get on our “virtual bus” on May 22nd and let your elected officials know that fighting hunger needs to be a priority.

You can still fight hunger by:

  • Following #HungerAction2019 and @FoodBankCCS on Facebook and Twitter
  • Sharing on your favorite social media: Do you believe food is a human right? Hunger has no place in the Golden State! #HungerAction2019 #EndHungerTogether
  • Donating to help us continue our work to make lasting change for hungry people in your community: Due to a donor match, your gift can be doubled throughout the month of May if you use this specific link: foodbankccs.org/matchinggift.

 

Raising compassionate kids

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Originally posted by Feeding America

“Mom, I’m huuunnnggrrryyyyy.”

Never mind that my four-year-old had polished off half an apple, peanut butter and a box of raisins less than an hour earlier. I handed her the other half of the apple, and her delighted smile was all the thanks I needed.

Working at Feeding America means I know how lucky I am that when my kids tell me they’re hungry, a snack and a smile are never out of reach. Does my daughter know how lucky she is? I don’t know, but I’m sure doing my best to raise compassionate kids. It isn’t easy! I’ve found a few tools to help – maybe they’ll help you too!

#1 PICTURING HUNGER
  • What does it feel like to be hungry?
  • What would you do if you couldn’t eat for a whole day?
  • What things might be harder to do while hungry?
#2 STORYTELLING
Reading stories is a great way for children to understand the complex realities of other people’s lives. Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt is one of my favorites to read aloud – check it out!
#3 HUNGRY TO HELP
There is pretty much nothing more heartwarming than seeing my kids connect the dots – Some kids are hungry! I can help!– and then want to do something about it. Collecting food at school and donating it to a food bank have become favorite activities for my kids and every time we make a delivery, I see their eyes (and hearts) open just a little more.

So that’s us. How about you? How have you tried talking to your kids and family about hunger? This month we’ll be sharing all the different ways you and your family can help take on hunger, so if you want to learn more, there’s an action plan to download here that you should check out!

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Nielsen
Senior Vice President
Feeding America

 

Fighting hunger on college campuses

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You can’t learn when you are hungry, which is why we have programs that specifically focus on providing food for school-aged children. But what about the people seeking higher education? Almost half of local college students struggle to afford food due to the increasing costs of housing, tuition, and books. The Food Bank partners with local colleges to help combat this nationwide problem through our College Pantry Program.

Last month we started new partnerships with St. Mary’s College and CSU Maritime Academy. We are happy to be able to help serve the students at these new pantries as well as at existing pantries on the campuses of  CSU East Bay-Concord, Diablo Valley College, Los Medanos College and Contra Costa College.

Each college pantry operates with a staff member and many generous student volunteers. Most are open 5-days a week and enrolled students with a school ID can pick up free groceries at these little mini-markets. Students are able to pick out what food they want according to their personal dietary restrictions or food preferences.

Shelf-stable foods available include pasta, fruits, vegetables, soups, beans, and rice. The pantries that have refrigeration are able to offer eggs, milk and juice. A couple of the pantries have freezers, so they are able to distribute meat as well.

Each pantry is in charge of spreading the word on their campus. In addition to traditional flyers and newsletters, they often reach out to the masses via social media. Sometimes pantry representatives will speak directly to the students at the beginning of classes to ensure everyone knows about help is available.

Antoinette whose work-study job is at the food pantry on the CSU East Bay-Concord campus tells her fellow students, “Don’t feel ashamed to come in, we don’t want you to be hungry. Some students have whispered to me, ‘I have been hungry’–they always say it in a whisper.”

James Lande, the Food Bank’s College Pantry Coordinator, provides ongoing support to all the college pantries from daily operations and marketing to outreach and grant writing. In turn, these pantries are better able to serve students in need. James shares, “Pantry Coordinators tell me since starting a pantry on campus and working with the Food Bank, they have been able to greatly expand their presence on campus and improve the variety and nutritional options available. All of the college pantry partners have expanded their hours since opening.”

A recent Government Accountability Office report revealed the extent of college hunger, and schools have not only stepped up by opening pantries on campus, but they also welcome help promoting agencies and outside programs that can benefit their students. To aid with this effort, the Food Bank works with campuses and students to educate them on CalFresh. Many students don’t realize they qualify for this government assistance. A Community Relations Officer at Cal State East Bay explains it to students like this, “You get financial aid, now let’s get your food aid.” We also connect colleges in Contra Costa County with Contra Costa Health Services. They support the colleges by providing nutrition education materials and have even done cooking demonstrations on a few of the campuses.

We are inspired by these colleges who are not only discussing the issue of student hunger but are taking action as well. We will continue to expand this program to other campuses and we are even looking into partnering with local adult schools. We are committed to being there for those who are pursuing their education today, so they can better provide for themselves and their families tomorrow.

 

Need inspiration for team building ideas?

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Looking for a fun and meaningful way to bond with your co-workers or clients? Pacific Service Federal Credit Union shares how they have successfully incorporated philanthropy into their team building efforts:

“Pacific Service Credit Union is a proud supporter of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.  It is part of our mission to be a good corporate citizen and assist the communities we serve. We support the Food Bank because 1 in 8 of our neighbors depend on them to receive emergency and supplemental food.

We value our partnership with the Food Bank and have found many creative ways to donate time and money. One of our favorites is our annual three-month long ‘Jeans for Beans’ campaign. Employees are encouraged to “buy” punch cards by donating food, which allows them to wear jeans any day of the week.

We also place collection barrels in our corporate office and branches during the holidays.  Typically, we collect more than 500 pounds of food to assist families in need.

Along with corporate donations, we contribute approximately $37,000 annually to the Food Bank.

In January, we hosted a group of local business partners to lunch and an afternoon of sorting food.  In just a couple hours, the group sorted more than 2,000 pounds of food which was distributed to families in the community.  All of the attendees left that afternoon with a feeling of triumph for what they helped the Food Bank accomplish. It was a fantastic volunteer experience and before the group left the building, they were already planning their next sorting date. We are proud to be part of an organization that has such a profound impact on the community.”

For information on team building and Corporate sponsorship opportunities, contact John Calender – [email protected] or call 925.771.1313.

Need Remains High in Wake of Shutdown

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As you may not know, many people we serve also receive federal nutrition benefits (CalFresh) and because of the recent government shutdown, families will be receiving their next benefit 10 to 20 days late.
 
This disruption in CalFresh benefits is predicted to cause an unprecedented strain on food banks. CalFresh typically provides families with enough food to last two to three weeks and a third of all recipients already rely on food banks to make ends meet. 
 

Clinical Effort Shows that Sometimes Food is the Best Medicine

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Originally posted by Contra Costa Health Services

Patients visiting our health centers are now being regularly screened for hunger when they come in for their medical appointments.

At intake, patients are given a form that asks if they have been unable to afford food or have been worried about running out of food. If patients mark “yes” to any of the food insecurity questions, they are given a referral to the Food Bank Contra Costa and Solano, which then helps those patients sign up for CalFresh (food stamps).

“We know that food insecurity is linked to poor health outcomes,” said Dr. Michelle Wong, head of our Integrative Health Program. “By rolling out universal food security screening at all clinics with an immediate referral to the Food Bank, we are showing our system recognizes food security as vital to patients’ health.”

The universal food-insecurity screenings are part of a broader “food as medicine” campaign at CCRMC & Health Centers to address other factors in people’s lives that impact health besides disease. In recent years, CCRMC/HC has begun incorporating wraparound services for food security and healthy eating – from free weekly assistance with CalFresh sign-ups to offering free produce in clinics to teaching patients how to cook and eat healthier on a budget through group medical visits.

After a successful pilot, the food-insecurity screenings – also known as “hunger vital signs” –started systemwide at all our health centers in December. Food Bank representatives are regularly onsite at various health centers and can often provide immediate assistance following medical visits.

For more information, contact Dr. Gabriela Sullivan at [email protected].

Government shutdown ends, hardship continues

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The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is relieved congressional leaders and the administration reached a deal last week to temporarily re-open the federal government. However, we remain deeply concerned about the lasting impact this shutdown will have for federal workers and contractors, food assistance recipients, and emergency food providers like the Food Bank.

While federal workers will receive back pay, more than a million federal contract employees will not. This is a significant financial impact, as almost 10% of their yearly pay was lost during the shutdown. We anticipate that both federal workers and contractors will continue to need food assistance as they recover from this financial hurdle and brace for the possibility of another closure.

The uncertainty of the shutdown also caused an early issuance of February Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Families and individuals received February benefits on January 16. This has created a “SNAP gap” that is likely to cause significant financial strain for SNAP participants, who will go 40 to 60 days without a benefit payment. While the total amount of nutrition assistance will not change, the long gap between the availability of benefits will cause hardship for many households and further strain the emergency food assistance network.

SNAP typically provides families with about two to three weeks of food, and a third of all recipients already rely on food banks to make ends meet for the remainder of the month. In addition to creating a great amount of confusion, this prolonged gap between nutrition benefit payments will create an unprecedented strain on emergency food networks like ours.

Click here to watch the KTVU story that recently ran about a volunteer personally impacted by the shutdown.

There is also the very real concern that an agreement on a long-term spending bill may not be reached by February 15 and we could have another shutdown. If this occurs, the same budgetary provision used to pay out February benefits could be utilized to distribute April benefits early. While this may be necessary in order to ensure that people receive April benefits, it would create another straining and confusing SNAP gap. If the government were to shut down again for an extended period of time, May SNAP benefits would face an uncertain future.

The Food Bank is calling on the administration and Congress to reach a long-term compromise as soon as possible in order to allow the federal government to remain open and alleviate the stress, hunger, and hardship the partial shutdown has caused for millions of Americans.

Tell your elected officials today: the government MUST stay open. Every elected official – from the White House and halls of Congress to local and state leaders – needs to understand that nearly 40 million Americans’ food assistance is on the line if the government shuts down again.

Carly Finkle is the Policy and Advocacy Manager for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

Remembering Linda Locke

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Food Bank Founder and long-time supporter, Linda Locke, passed away on Christmas Eve. In celebration of the gift she gave our community, we share with you a little background of her early days in food banking.

Linda Locke was a graduate student, wife and mother when she got the assignment of a lifetime in 1975. While working for Contra Costa County Social Services, she was tasked with finding a way to prevent central county food pantries from running out of food before the month was over. Her early work developing a food program called the Community Food Coalition grew to become the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano you know today.

Linda was always driven by her passion to help others, so she took off running. At the time, approximately 370 families needed help with food each month.  Linda personally spoke with each pantry in the county to see what was needed to strengthen their service. The answer was collaboration. 

  • Create a primary fundraising source for food acquisition.
  • Increase the size of food donations and receive wholesale pricing, since no one pantry could achieve this alone.
  • Store the food in a central warehouse that pantries could access as they had the capacity. 

Linda was never shy and used her love of public speaking to acquire distribution trucks and large-scale food donations. She was also instrumental in the creation of California legislation to ease the liability of companies who donated food in good faith.

Linda was relocated to other areas of county work in 1976, but her short time in food banking created a lasting legacy. Executive Director Larry Sly recalls, “She created a food bank out of thin air.” The Community Food Coalition went from enough food to provide 30,000 meals in a year to our current organization providing 18 million meals a year. 

Larry goes on to say “Personally speaking, I am grateful Linda created the best career for me I could have ever had. But more importantly, I am glad Linda created a program that continues to work toward her dream of ending hunger.” 

 

Photos: Top left: Larry Sly, Linda Locke and Ed Rimer, the first Executive Director of the Food Bank. Bottom left: Juan collecting onions from a local grower. Right: Linda at the 40th-anniversary celebration of the organization she started.

Government shutdown’s impact on hunger

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Last week the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that, despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, they will continue to fund federal nutrition programs through February. 

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is relieved that important benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as CalFresh), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and school meals will remain available for the time being to provide assistance to those who need it.

We are, however, deeply concerned about the fact that households in California already received their February CalFresh benefits today, January 15th. If the government does not reopen or specifically appropriate funds for nutrition assistance, there is not enough in federal reserves to cover the cost of March benefits.

If funds are available for March CalFresh benefits, families and individuals will still experience a significant gap in between their benefit payments. CalFresh typically provides families with about two to three weeks of food, and a third of all recipients already rely on food banks to make ends meet. In addition to creating a great amount of confusion, this prolonged gap between nutrition benefit payments will create an unprecedented strain on emergency food networks like ours.

For every meal our food bank provides, federal programs like CalFresh provide twelve.

Furthermore, as furloughed federal employees and contractors missed their first paycheck last week, we anticipate an increase in demand for food assistance from families and individuals who are experiencing hardship due to the shutdown. To help bridge the gap until the government reopens, furloughed workers and CalFresh households are eligible to receive food assistance from the Food Bank.

Unfortunately, during the shutdown the USDA will not be able to provide our food bank with funding to help offset the cost of distributing federally provided nonperishable goods into our community. This additional cost is not something anticipated in our budget and will be harder to cover over time. 

The Food Bank is prepared to support the community through any crisis, and this shutdown is no different. However, we remain deeply concerned that demand will exceed our capacity if these critical programs do not continue to receive funds. Please call your members of Congress today and tell them to reopen the government immediately.

Take action and

  • Call the Capitol switchboard and ask to be connected to your Representative or Senator (202) 224-3121
  • Call the President (202) 456-1111

Submit a comment to the President: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

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