Results: As Alameda County's central clearinghouse for donated food, the Food Bank distributed 18.9 million pounds of food in the 2009-10 fiscal year – including 8.9 million pounds of farm-fresh produce. Since moving into our permanent facility by the Oakland Airport in 2005 and leading the national food bank movement for a ban on the distribution of carbonated beverages, the Food Bank has ramped up distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables by 745%.
Target demographics: Children, seniors, families and adults in Alameda County.
Direct beneficiaries per year: 249,000 unduplicated individuals -- many who use our services many times in the course of a year
Programs: Food distribution:as alameda county's central clearinghouse for donated, surplus and purchased food for nonprofit agencies, the food bank distributed 29. 0 million pounds of food including 16. 7 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables in the 2014 fiscal year. The food distribution program includes various programs such as children's back pack, government programs, and mobile pantry program. Volunteer resources are an integral part of food distribution, particularly in the packaging of fresh produce, bagging children's food bags, and sorting donated food. Volunteers are also utilized for the helpline, office assistance, advocacy, and events. Volunteer hours for the fiscal year were equivalent to 45 full-time employees.
outreach:our systematic approach to ending hunger includes: 1) the food bank's multilingual emergency food helpline is one of california's most efficient and busiest food referral systems. Since 1994, callers have been able to receive a same-day bag of food or hot meal at a location in or near their neighborhood; 2) the food bank's calfresh (food stamp) outreach program, which pioneered a pre-screening program that quickly gauges a potential recipient's eligibility, serves as the blueprint for programs across the nation. The outreach staff helps clients complete the application process and work through the alameda county social services agency to submit the application.
agency services:the food bank supports its 240 member agencies in managing government food programs, securing government funding, and adhering to related contracts. The food bank assists member agencies in food safety, equipment procurement, and other operational functions. The food bank supports our member agencies and clients through nutrition education services, which are designed to help member agencies and clients utilize the wide variety of products, including farm fresh fruits and vegetables, that are often new to clients. Services include educational classes, nutrition materials, recipes, cooking classes, and taste testing demos to encourage and support healthful eating. Nutrition education services also help clients maximize their other food resources to utilize and maximize healthy choices for their families.
other: hunger education and advocacy - the food bank's hunger education and advocacy efforts continue to provide a voice for tens of thousands of alameda county residents who face food insecurity. Food bank staff meet with legislators, grassroots anti-hunger advocates and other advocacy partners regularly. The program promotes policies to benefit low-income residents such as eliminating the fingerprinting requirement for recipients of calfresh (formerly known as food stamps).
