Food Bank Contra Costa and Solano

Paul and Wanda Ball RTSC “The food really helps us a lot and we use every bit of it!” - Paul, age 95 A true love for giving back: The Vallejo home of Paul and Wanda is filled with laughter and warmth. The couple, ages 95 and 86, respectively, has lived in the house since purchasing it sight unseen for $37,000 in 1977, and together they’ve built a bustling life over 44 years of marriage. Paul, a World War II and Korean War veteran who served in both the Navy and Army, and Wanda, who retired from Wells Fargo, were active, dependable volunteers in their community until the pandemic forced them to hunker down at home for safety. That’s when Rebuilding Together Solano County (RTSC), one of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano’s 250 nonprofit agency partners, stepped in to provide free weekly grocery deliveries to hundreds of people who couldn’t leave home. “They would bring the food to our home so we didn’t have to go out. I don’t know what we would have done because with our ages I was scared to get out with a group of people or do anything at all. My immune system isn’t as strong as it was,” said Paul. The food they receive is a mix of shelf-stable pantry items, refrigerated and frozen goods, fruits and vegetables. When Wanda pointed out the fresh Brussels sprouts included in their latest grocery delivery, Paul’s eyes grew as he enthusiastically exclaimed, “Those are my favorite—I love those!” The food delivered by RTSC volunteers comes from the Food Bank’s warehouse and the local Costco, thanks to the Food Bank’s partnership with Feeding America. This type of partnership— nutritious food combined with a caring human touch—allows the Food Bank to support community members when and where they need it most. With its mission of "repairing homes, revitalizing communities and rebuilding lives," Rebuilding Together Solano County (RTSC) provides an invaluable service to low-income elderly, disabled and veteran homeowners. More than 12,000 volunteers help renovate houses, conduct community facility workdays on public buildings and provide free groceries—and that's where the Food Bank comes in! For the past three years, RTSC has operated a drop-in food pantry that serves the community twice a week. When COVID-19 hit, everything changed for RTSC. In-home services came to a screeching halt, and with already-high food insecurity rates rapidly rising among the people they serve, they focused their efforts on fighting hunger. Volunteers started delivering groceries to those who were homebound, like Paul and Wanda, and hosting drive-thru pantries. RTSC went from distributing an average of 750 pounds of food a week to 15,000 pounds! To help our partnering nonprofits expand capacity and further support their communities, the Food Bank recently distributed a total of $250,000 in agency enhancement grants to 62 nonprofit partners. RTSC received one such grant in the amount of $5,000 to purchase a commercial freezer, dollies and carts. Elizabeth Hoffman, RTSC’s executive director, shared, “We currently only have household freezers donated by various RTSC donors. A commercial freezer will expand not only the amount but the type of food RTSC can distribute. It will be a huge help.” Often the key to success lies in creating meaningful partnerships—like Paul and Wanda's—and by teaming up with organizations like RTSC, the Food Bank is able to expand its reach and deepen its impact in local communities

“Nowadays everything is so expensive. By getting food here you’re saving $20 that could be going towards a bill or something else, so it’s really helping in other places.” Concord mom Cynthia needs our help. She loves to find new, healthy recipes she can cook for her kids. But with the cost of food, fuel and life in the Bay Area so high, providing nutritious meals and managing all her other household expenses is tougher than it used to be – and that balancing act is only getting harder for more of our neighbors right now. With the expiration of emergency CalFresh allotments in April, more than 75,000 households in Contra Costa and Solano Counties are seeing their grocery budgets dramatically reduced, sometimes to as little as $23 a month. Experts across the country are warning we’re on the verge of a “hunger cliff” that will leave more of our neighbors struggling to feed themselves and create more hard choices for families like Cynthia’s. “It does help if you have a family … and it’s healthier for the kids too,” Cynthia shared, while picking up fresh fruits and vegetables she’ll use to feed her household of six. Can you help us ensure families in our community don’t have to sacrifice nutrition to make ends meet?