San Jose Food Bank Donation

Alfonso Mendez Programs Manager

Alfonso came to the Ministry in 2001 as a volunteer, first working in the warehouse food pantry and then becoming a front desk volunteer. He joined us as an employee in 2010.

Alfonso is involved in the daily managing of all the programs at Santa Maria – Food Pantry, Clothes Closet, and educational programs. He also trains and supervises our many dedicated volunteers. Alfonso is dedicated to both improving the lives of our clients and providing fulfilling volunteer opportunities at Santa Maria.

Educare Family Resource Center

1399 Santee Drive, San Jose, CA 95122

Every Wednesday from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Cold meals, and snacks

• 2980 Senter Rd, San Jose

  Every 2nd & 4th Thursday from 10:00am – 12:00pm

  Grocery boxes

• 160 North Rengstorff Ave, Mountain View

  Every 2nd & 4th Saturday from 10:00 am 12:00 pm

  Grocery boxes

• 21501 Alum Rock Ave. San Jose, CA 95116

  Monday through Friday from 10:45 am – 11:55 pm

  Grocery boxes

• 921 S First St B, San Jose, CA 95110

  Second Tuesday from 8:30 am-12 pm and Fourth Saturday from 8:45 am-12 pm

  Grocery boxes

Growing Pressure On Rapid Food Delivery

Implementing SB 1383 is an opportunity to both reduce hunger and prevent food from turning into methane and other greenhouse gases in landfills, said Andrew Cheyne, the former director of government affairs at the California Association of Food Banks, a statewide anti-hunger organization.

However, recovering food includes complex logistics and expenses that require rapid pickups and distribution to keep the food fresh. It can be especially challenging for food banks when lacking storage and staffing and facing other capacity issues.

Prompted by the law, many more businesses have reached out to Second Harvest and expressed their willingness to donate this year, Weatherby said.

The reason were getting these donations is because things are closer to the end of their life. So we need to make sure that we have the operations and logistics to turn that food around very quickly and get it to the people who need it.

Tracy Weatherby, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley

The law divides food suppliers into two tiers. Tier One includes grocery stores and supermarkets that typically have more produce and shelf-stable food to donate, and Tier Two businesses are hotels and restaurants with more prepared food. Tier One businesses must comply this year Tier Two has two years to prepare.

Weatherby said that her organization prioritized Tier One businesses to work with since they needed to have agreements in place this year, per the new law.

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Delivering To Sacred Heart: Arrival & Parking Information

Please bring all donations to the Sacred Heart Community Service Donation Station at 1381 South 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95110. Current donation station business hours and closure dates are always available in the footer on any page of our website. Our parking lot is very busy. Pull in off Alma and dont park – drive through and youll see our donation station in back.

Community Fruit Drop Off Locations

If you have excess fruit and are physically able to harvest, please consider donating to one of the following agencies so they can share your bounty with those in need. Click on any marker on the map to see location details. Some local food agencies adjusted their drop off policies and donation days/hours during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please contact the organization for the most current information and hours prior to drop off.

The map and table below display known food agency donation status.

Green = Yes, accepting fruit Yellow = Unknown Status Red= Not accepting fruit

View Village Harvest – Fruit Drop Off Locations List in a full screen map

Please contact Village Harvest with updates or corrections.

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Food Banks Soup Kitchens And Free Food Pantries In Santa Clara County

Food pantries in Santa Clara County California provide a number of assistance programs to individuals who need help. Stop by or call one of the centers, food banks near you, soup kitchens or community service programs listed below for free groceries, meals, basic needs, food, counseling, or information. Find details below as well as a referral number at the bottom of the page.

If you need help feeding your family or yourself, these locations in Santa Clara and San Jose are committed to doing what they can to assist. The services they offer can range from providing meals, groceries, and food up to helping people apply for government programs such as CalFresh food stamps or WIC. Many charities in the county also serve free holiday meals, including at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

If a food bank is unable to help meet your needs, they can usually refer you to other local charities, churches, or food distribution centers in the Santa Clara County region. Some of the centers have more specialty type programs as well, such as clothing, baby formula, school meals and snacks, or items like diapers. Locations may even run Meals on Wheels services for senior citizens. Counselors at the locations can often help people with applying for government programs like food stamps, and also direct you to state of California resources.

Winter & Spring Eligibility:

• Cotinuing student that is already be enrolled Spring courses
• Currently experiencing hunger/food insecurity
• Must have an annual income of $30,268* or less
• Must bring your Tower ID & reusable bag every time you visit the pantry. If you do not have your Tower ID you should inform the Bursar’s Office you need it to access the pantry.

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Matching Gift Challenge Doubles Donations To Slo Food Bank In December

Now, through Dec. 31, donations made to the SLO Food Bank here are being matched up to $70,000 by a group of dedicated donors through the Hope for the Holidays Matching Gift Challenge.

Members and Contractors of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 639, The Balay Ko Foundation, and other anonymous Hunger Heroes came together to offer this matching gift challenge to the community and encourage donors to take action to support the SLO Food Bank.

2022 marked another unprecedented year for the SLO Food Bank, marked by historic inflation of food, fuel, and other commodities resulting in increased demand for hunger relief programs and services. However, due to the support of the local community, the SLO Food Bank and its hunger relief network continue to stand strong for SLO Countys most vulnerable neighbors to provide them with nutritious food and dignity.

To continue its mission to work with its network of community partners to alleviate hunger and build a healthier community in San Luis Obispo County, the SLO Food Bank is setting its sights on raising $140,000 by the end of 2022.

The SLO Food Bank is currently providing nutritious food to over 31,000 SLO County residents each month. Funds from this matching campaign will support the SLO Food Banks efforts to provide enhanced health and hope to neighbors in need during the holiday season and into the new year.

To visit the donation page for the matching gift challenge, click here.

Demand For Food Is 50% Higher Than Pre

Demand for food in Monterey County remains stubbornly high because of economic pressures on local families, from inflation to rent increases and high gas prices.

We are committed to helping families and our nonprofit partners deliver healthy, nutritious food where ever it is needed across our community.

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Collect Items & Host A Drive

You can make a HUGE impact in a familys life by organizing a drive! Follow these easy steps:

These are the items we look for throughout the year!

• Pop-top canned foods

• Hygiene Items .

• Tampons and sanitary pads

• New or gently used blankets

• New or gently used sleeping bags

• New or gently used clothes/shoes

• Student backpacks

• Turkeys and Toys

South Bay Food Banks Work To Meet Increased Demand Amid High Prices Inflation This Holiday Season

With the holiday season upon us, food distribution agencies in San Jose are gearing up for an increase in demand amid rising costs and inflation.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Just as Bay Area food banks mobilized to manage demand under the COVID-19 pandemic, they are now meeting the ongoing pressure of serving more people with the added impact of inflation.

With holiday season upon us, food distribution agencies are gearing up for increased demand amid rising costs.

“This is a particularly challenging time,” Tracey Weatherby, VP of strategy and advocacy for Second Harvest of Silicon Valley told ABC7 News. “We did a recent client survey and over 60% of our clients reported having less than $250 in savings.”

Weatherby said food budgets are typically the first place people economize to make ends meet.

Food insecurity, no doubt, was highlighted and heightened during the pandemic. It was a time when Second Harvest saw demand double to 500,000 people each month.

“It went down to about 400,000 people last year, and we thought that was maybe the new normal,” she described. “But with inflation and gas prices, and everything that’s happening with the economy, we’re now up around 450,000 people every month.”

MORE: Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano sees increase of 100K people per month needing food

A real-time reflection, Weatherby described.

Costs adding up, all while attempting to meet increased need.

Also Check: San Antonio Food Bank Mobile Pantry Schedule

Give Where You Live: Donate To Bay Area Food Banks

SAN FRANCISCO — During the coronavirus pandemic, no one should go hungry. Families and individuals are struggling more than ever to make ends meet. Households face unemployment or underemployment, and more Bay Area residents must choose between paying bills and other basic necessities like finding healthy, fresh, nutritious food.

Please Give Where you Live and help local children and families get the nourishment they need to stay healthy!

Let’s help our dedicated food banks do what they do best: feed people. Together, we can Build a Better Bay Area!

Find your local food bank and donate today:

How Spartan Food Pantry Works

Step 1: Check In

• Only come if you are healthy wearing masks/face coverings is encouraged.
• Complete the Spartan Food Pantry Intake & Agreement Form . Must be completed before the first visit of each academic year.

• Check in . Staff will ask and record your name, address, family size, first per month, and if it’s a repeat visit. .

Step 2: Shop

• Grab a basket and shop for items within our zones. All items are based on availability. We’ll let you know if there are any limits per zone on that day.
• Fresh Produce Zone
• Toiletries & More Zone

Step 3: Check Out

• Bring basket back to counter to check out with staff

We highly encourage students to ask a staff member or look online if they don’t know how to prepare a food.

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A Joint Effort To Save Food

Education efforts about the law requirements and food quality are conducted not only by food banks but also at the city or county level.

More businesses are starting to reach out to offer donated food as counties work toward alerting more businesses to the laws requirements, said Weatherby at Second Harvest.

Olsen with White Pony Express said that local jurisdictions, such as the city of Antioch, have been actively reaching out to food suppliers and helping promote the organizations food rescue App.

Kelly Gaherty, commercial zero waste assistant coordinator at the San Francisco Department of the Environment, said she and her colleagues started site visits and inspections of Tier One businesses in June. The primary purposes of such in-person visits are to ensure the businesses are aware of the law and ready to meet the requirements.

Gaherty said that she is aware that food recovery organizations are concerned about receiving donation dumping, and considered education at the city and county level an important step.

Its important for food-generating businesses to understand that, as a client going to a food bank to get food, it would be devastating for them to go all the way there and then receive spoiled food, Gaherty said.

StopWaste, a public agency tackling waste in Alameda County, created an online guide to safe food handling procedures for different types of food donors to help solve such issues in their county.

• In “Featured News”

We Dont Want To Be Hauling Peoples Trash

Another pressing issue is food banks are having to devise ways to maintain quality as more donated food comes in. If the food comes in fresh, it may be able to stay at food banks longer, and if the food is properly labeled and packaged, it will save food banks lots of work in determining if it is still useful.

However, SB 1383 only requires businesses to donate their surplus food it doesnt set a standard of what food is considered donatable and edible, organizations said.

We dont want to be hauling peoples trash, Olsen said. And the problem comes in that everyones got their own interpretation of what makes good food and what is edible food.

Its part of food banks traditional job to teach donors about their food safety standards, but businesses may not always listen. Olsen said his organization tries to keep rotten food received under 10 to 20 percent. He communicates a lot with donors about standards and food handling techniques and occasionally has to terminate partnerships with donors if their food is not edible and healthy.

Another food bank in Contra Costa encountered the same issue. Karen Collins, food resource manager of Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, said her organization was concerned about the uncertainty of future food volume and more food quality issues it may bring.

My hope is that companies and their employees will be more diligent in taking more time and sorting what could actually be donated versus dumped, Collins said.

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Jif Peanut Butter Recall

Second Harvest of the Greater Valley is aware of Jif Peanut Butters current recall. The safety of those utilizing second harvest food bank services is our top priority, and we are doing everything to check all donations of Jif peanut butter against the affected lot numbers. If you have received Jif Peanut butter from SHGV in the last few months, we ask that you please check the lot numbers against the recall to ensure the safety of your food. Likewise, if you are donating Jif peanut butter, please check the lot numbers as well so as not to put those utilizing SHGV services and products at risk. Thank you for allowing us to serve you and the continued support SHGV receives daily.

Holiday Turkey Donations Feeding More Than 86000

LIVINGSTON, Calif. In an ongoing effort to raise awareness of the issue of food insecurity, family-owned and California-based Foster Farms today donated 2,000 pounds of turkey enough to feed more than 2,000 people to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties in San Jose during a Farm to Food Bank event hosted by California Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross. Ross was in the Bay Area at the San Jose food bank as part of a day-long series of events to raise awareness of Californias Farm to Family Program and the important role California producers also play in the states fight against hunger.

This recent donation tops off a series of Foster Farms Thanksgiving turkey donations to West Coast food banks that have fed more than 84,000 people during the recent holiday. It is the latest initiative in Foster Farms ongoing commitment to hunger relief and to giving back to its local communities. In 2014, the company has also provided 24,000 complete chicken dinners to needy families and delivered more than 230,000 pounds of groceries to Central Valley elementary students through the Foster Farms-sponsored Food 4 Thought program. As the title sponsor of the Foster Farms Bowl to be held at Levis Stadium December 30, Foster Farms carries on this important tradition of helping local families in need with ticket sales directly benefiting local food banks.

About Foster Farms

Visit fosterfarms.com to learn more.

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Kind Words From Our Donors

I am now employed and used the food bank 2 months ago. It is now time to give back. I am thankful for food received in the past & to all volunteers!

Sharing our gratitude on the occasion of the Indian festival of Diwali.

Id rather you donate to a food bank than get me a birthday present.

I got a new job and just got paid. Paying my good fortune forward.

For our wedding, we asked our guests to donate to this fantastic organization! This is the amount we raised 🙂

In memory of my grandmother and great-grandmother who fed the hungry during the great depression.

Were donating to the Alameda Food Bank as a Chanukah present for our grandchildren to help make sure Alameda families have enough good food to eat.

May this food nourish you so that you may nourish others.

I am so impressed with this whole operation and the store-like warehouse lends so much dignity and efficiency to the whole process. Good work!

While I didnt need to use the food banks services, it was very close during 2020. Once I was able, I knew Alameda Food Bank was my first giving goal.

Social justice begins with breakfast.