Ending Hunger Together
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2013 ANNUAL REPORT Ending hunger together With the support of a generous community, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano continues to find ways to increase the services we provide to people in need. We made an incredible step forward this year with the implementation of the Community Produce Program. Thanks to a generous grant from John Muir Mt. Diablo Community Health Fund that enabled us to purchase a beverage truck that was customized to serve as a mobile distribution vehicle for fresh produce. After a six month pilot, we obtained a second vehicle from Kraft Foods through our national organization Feeding America. The Community Produce Program now distributes fresh produce twice a month at over fifty sites in Contra Costa and Solano counties. The benefits this program provides are incredible. People who visit the local distribution sites and meet income guidelines take home 20-30 pounds of fresh produce. People are getting healthy food for their families they might not be able to afford otherwise. The variety is impressive with apples, oranges, sweet potatoes, onions, celery, melons and much more, delivered to neighborhoods that do not have easy access to fresh produce. We all know that it is healthier for people to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. When individuals call looking for food help, we can now refer them to a Community With your help, we were Produce Program site where they can get fresh produce within days. The Food Bank has made a major step able to provide over 8 million forward with the Community Produce Program. I am pounds of fresh produce to grateful to the generous community that makes this possible. people at risk of hunger in your community last year. Executive Director Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Our Programs Generous community support makes it possible for the Food Bank of Contra become the Food Bank’s second largest Costa and Solano to provide food to approximately 149,000 people each direct distribution program. We partner month through direct service programs and a network of over 180 partner with after school programs at schools in low-income areas in all eligible school agencies. We distributed 18 million pounds of food last year; nearly half districts in each county. Every week during of that was fresh fruits and vegetables. This food provided over 14 million the school year, over 9,000 children in 84 meals. Food Bank programs include: after school programs receive a 3-5 pound bag of produce to take home. Research shows increased consumption of a variety Food Assistance Program per month. This supplemental food allows of fruits and vegetables over a lifetime Each month, an average of 31,650 seniors to incorporate more fresh food into reduces the risk of chronic disease. Our people receive bread, produce and USDA their diets and stretch their budgets to pay hope is to help low-income children commodities at 29 distribution sites in for rent, utilities, prescriptions and other establish healthy eating habits at an early Contra Costa and Solano counties through necessities. age. this program. Food bags contain canned fruit, canned vegetables, cereal, fruit Extra Helpings Remote Perishable Distributions juice, canned protein items, rice, beans People with chronic illness who meet the To better serve the agencies that get and pasta. Participants’ income must program criteria in Contra Costa County food from the Food Bank, the Food Bank not exceed income guidelines which are and who are enrolled in case management transports food in large tractor trailers to currently 150% of poverty or less than services through the County Health most regions of Contra Costa and Solano $2,944 a month for a family of four. Department receive food twice a month at counties on a weekly basis. Agencies Tailgate distributions from the back of no cost. The clients receive a nutritious box place food orders by fax or email, the a Food Bank truck occur at 12 locations full of canned foods and dry goods, a bag food is palletized, and the agencies meet once a month for two hours, with 19 food of fresh fruits, vegetables and bread, along the truck in their community. Bread, pantries administering the balance of with a gallon of milk at each distribution. dairy and produce are a significant part the program, many of them making food The Extra Helpings Program clients are of each remote distribution. This remote available throughout the month to those referred to the Food Bank by their case distribution method allows the Food in need. managers. This program offers home Bank to see agencies more frequently delivery service to those clients who are and enables agencies to receive larger Food for Children medically home-bound. quantities of food without having to devote More than 1,245 low-income children, their limited funds to maintaining a van or ages four and five, receive boxes of free Farm 2 Kids truck and covering transportation costs. food each month in nine cities in our The Food Bank started this program in They can also provide fresh, nutritious distribution area. Many of these children 2007 in order to increase children’s access produce to their clients more frequently. are referred by WIC, but can also be to fresh fruits and vegetables. It has since referred by Child Start or other community- School Pantries based organizations, and families can sign Started in 2010 our School Pantry program up without a referral if they come to the provides nutritious, nonperishable food distribution site in their community with items to students in need on an as-needed proof of the child’s age. This program basis. Located on school grounds, the provides a 25-30 pound box of shelf stable, pantry enables high school students to nutritious food that has been selected access groceries to take home in a discreet to help meet the child’s dietary need for manner and makes sure they get the protein, iron and vitamins. Bread, fresh fuel they need to succeed. The program fruits and vegetables and milk are also currently serves five schools and at least provided. 100 families a month. Senior Food Program Community Produce Program Over 3,300 low-income senior citizen Twice per month, an average of 6,000 households (more than 5,000 people) households visit one of 50 distribution in Contra Costa and Solano counties are sites in Contra Costa and Solano counties. eligible to receive free groceries twice a Twenty pounds of fresh fruits and month through a program administered vegetables are given to individuals, families by 280 senior volunteers at 26 distribution and seniors who earn less than 200% of sites located in community centers, the Federal Poverty Limit. churches and senior centers. The canned goods, bread and produce they receive have a market value of approximately $50 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens CalFresh (formerly Food Stamp) Nutrition Education Individuals and families experiencing Outreach The Food Bank recognizes that good health difficulty in providing enough food for About half of the people in California depends on good nutrition. Education is themselves through regular channels, such who are eligible to receive nutritional available to our clients and the volunteers as grocery stores, can go to emergency benefits from the government do not who distribute food through community food pantries for groceries or soup kitchens participate in CalFresh. This means that based organizations like food pantries for hot meals. 91 pantries and eight soup more people rely on food banks and food and soup kitchens about the importance kitchens receive food from the Food Bank. pantries for food than may be necessary. of eating fruits and vegetables, small Together, they serve approximately 73,000 The Food Bank promotes the benefits of servings and nutritionally balanced meals. people each month. These organizations the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Newsletters and Internet resources are usually run by volunteers whose Program, the federal name for CalFresh, to are available on nutrition and food concern for the less fortunate in their the people who come to food distributions safety. Recipes that include the fruits, community motivates them to raise money and the nonprofit agencies that serve vegetables, whole grains or dried bean and distribute food. They strive to provide them. In partnership with Contra Costa products distributed through Food Bank nutritious, balanced meals and food and Solano counties, the Food Bank programs and services are also provided. baskets to the people they serve. sponsors regular trainings called Facts and A nutrition educator conducts on-site Myths of CalFresh and hosts quarterly nutrition lessons for clients; additionally, Other Agencies luncheons where staff from community- we partner with other community-based based organizations can dialogue with and county organizations to build effective Nonprofit organizations who provide county staff about their experiences collaborations that can share messages and services to the needy, ill or infants are referring people to county offices. help the community we serve learn more eligible to receive food from the Food about healthy eating. Bank. Over 80 agencies offer residential programs, day programs or other services to 9,500 individuals. Children and adults “The Community Produce Program is great because I can get things with a variety of issues, from substance fresh – not just canned. When I eat fresh things, it not only helps me, abuse to mental health to homelessness, it helps me to help others because I care for the elderly and need my can eat nutritious food as they participate strength. The Food Bank just makes things easier. I may have a job, in activities that will help them get back on but most people don’t understand that people in the lower income their feet level still can’t afford some things.” - Sherry from Martinez Doorstep Photography 2012 3 Direct Distribution Programs FAP: Food Assistance Program The Food Bank provides direct distribution programs throughout our service FFC: Food for Children area.