FOOD BANK
FOOD PROGRAMS
 Food
banks participate in a wide variety of programs to
bring food to low-income families. Below is
information on some of the programs included on the
profile. Contact your local food bank for more
information.
Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP):
Through this program, approximately 50 organizations
distribute staple food items (such as rice, canned
beans and vegetables and peanut butter) to eligible
individuals and families. Programs that prepare meals
for the homeless population are also eligible to
receive these food commodities. EFAP is a federal food
program, administered through the CA Dept of Social
Services.
Gleaning:
Gleaning is the collection of food for distribution to
the hungry. Often “gleaning” and “food recovery” are
used interchangeably and cover a variety of food
collection methods, including field gleaning and
collecting perishable produce from wholesale and
retail sources, including wholesale markets,
supermarkets, and farmer’s markets.
Brown
Bag Program: This self-help program assists seniors on low and fixed incomes each
month in
California. Bags of fresh produce and other food items
are distributed monthly to senior citizen households
at community sites. The Brown Bag program is a state
funded program, run through local Area Agencies on
Aging (AAA).
Nutrition Education:
This can include workshops, technical assistance and
materials on food safety, menu-planning and nutrition
issues, and is designed to maximize the nutritional
value, acceptability and cost effectiveness of food
distributed to the low income community.
Food
Referral Hotline:
Providing information and referral to community
anti-hunger resources.
Food
Rescue:
Food Rescue Programs arrange for the distribution of
prepared food from restaurants, caterers, hotels and
amusement parks to community agencies working with the
food bank. Food banks pick up and deliver donated
prepared and perishable foods to participating member
agencies.
Food
Purchasing for Agencies:
Many food banks purchase staple food items in large
quantities in order to get the best price possible.
This program allows for the purchase of staple food
that are in demand but rarely donated. Food banks
distribute this food through their agency network to
needy individuals.
Commodity Supplement Food Program (CSFP):
CSFP improves the health of low income pregnant women
and children up to 6 years, and to seniors. In 2002,
California is funded for five programs located in
Orange, San Francisco, Stanislaus, San Diego and Sonoma
Counties. Through CSFP, organizations distribute food boxes each
month at community sites. The CSFP is a federal
program, administered through the CA Dept. of
Education.
Summer
Food Service Program:
Through the SFSP, organizations provide meals to
children during times that school is out of session.
Meals are provided at community sites to children
living in low-income areas. SFSP is a federal
program, administered through the CA Dept. of
Education.
Member
Agency Distribution:
Organization provides purchased and donated food to
member agencies for distribution to low-income
families and individuals.
Emergency Food Boxes:
Organization provide food boxes for individuals and
families in crisis situations
SHARE
(Self Help and Resource Exchange):
SHARE is a nonprofit community development
organization that utilizes bulk purchasing and a
strong volunteer network to provide affordably priced
food. In return for approximately $15 and two hours of
community service, participants receive a monthly food
package worth $30.
Partners in Need (PIN) Program:
Provides food assistance to low-income Food Bank
volunteers.
Programs for Children:
Many
food banks provide special programs for children. Some
of these programs are outlined below:
-
Food for Thought (Second Harvest Food Bank of San
Joaquin and Stanislaus Co):
-
Food for Thought reaches out to children through
existing tutoring programs at local schools and
community centers. In exchange for 8 hours each week
at the tutoring program, each child can take home a
12-15 pound bag of groceries.
-
Kids Café (Food Share, Ventura
County): Kids Café is a
food bank program providing nutritious meals to
low-income children in a group setting. Kid’s Café
is a program of America’s Second Harvest, the
nationalnetwork of food banks.
-
A Child's Portion (Redwood Empire
Food Bank), Food for Children (Food Bank of Contra
Costa and Solano):
Provide nutritious food baskets for low income
children.
CA
Association of Food Banks
1611 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 830
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 272-4435
email:
info@cafoodbanks.org
|
