Growing Together: A New Model Supporting Bay Area Farmers and Families
September 21, 2026
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What if food banks could increase access to fresh, locally grown food while creating more reliable economic opportunities for local farmers?
That question is especially important during Hunger Action Month this September, as communities across California continue to struggle to make ends meet. In 2025, 25% of California adults experienced food insecurity, including 33% of adults living with children. Addressing that need requires food banks to not only meet immediate demand but also find innovative ways to strengthen the food system and expand access to nutritious, culturally relevant food over the long term.
Through a new program called Boundless, California Food Banks ™ is bringing together five Bay Area food banks in a collaborative partnership designed to do both. By combining their purchasing power, participating food banks can give small and underserved farmers greater certainty through guaranteed sales, reduce purchasing costs by up to 10% and bring more locally grown produce to families across the Bay Area.
The partnership builds on California Food Banks’ 20 years of expertise connecting growers to food banks through its Farm to Family program, providing the infrastructure to coordinate individual purchasing needs and bring them together at a regional scale.
Made possible through support from the Gilead Foundation, the partnership includes Alameda County Community Food Bank, Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano, Redwood Empire Food Bank and San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, in addition to Community Alliance with Family Farmers, participating food hubs and local growers. Together, we are helping build a stronger, more resilient regional food system.
For small and historically underserved farmers, accessing large institutional markets can be difficult. The Boundless partnership is creating a more predictable path to those opportunities, while helping food banks build a stronger, more reliable source of fresh food.
Rather than purchasing produce only after it has been grown, participating food banks plan ahead and commit to crops before farmers plant them. This approach provides growers with a guaranteed market and profitable margins they can incorporate into their business planning.
That certainty can make a meaningful difference. With a clearer picture of future sales, farmers are better positioned to pursue additional land leases, purchase equipment and invest in infrastructure such as pest control and water treatment systems.
The partnership also gives growers experience with large-scale agricultural planning practices, including forecasting, tier pricing and safety crop planning. These skills can help participating farmers prepare for future institutional purchasing opportunities beyond the program.
Over the three-year initiative, the partnership plans to engage at least 20 underserved farms, creating new market opportunities for small/midsize farms with annual sales of less than $1M and those from historically marginalized cultural and demographic groups.
Regional purchasing also keeps the supply chain closer to the communities being served. Shorter distances between farms and food banks reduce transportation costs and associated emissions. At the same time, stronger relationships with regional growers and suppliers can help food banks maintain access to fresh food during emergencies or supply chain disruptions.
By strengthening both sides of the food system, the model creates lasting value: food banks gain a more coordinated and resilient source of fresh produce, while farmers gain greater predictability and access to larger markets. And ultimately, those stronger connections help food banks provide more nutritious food to the people who need it.
Meeting the need for more food is only part of the solution. Food also needs to reflect the cultures, traditions and preferences of the communities being served. When locally grown food is familiar and culturally relevant, families are more likely to welcome it, use it and enjoy it.
Boundless incorporates community preferences into purchasing decisions, helping ensure that the produce reaching families is food they know, value and want to prepare.
Through this approach, the partnership is expected to help approximately 300,000 people access fresh, locally grown and culturally relevant produce while directing more food purchasing dollars to farmers and businesses within the region.
The Gilead Foundation believed in what’s possible, making a $2.5 million investment to launch and implement Boundless. Today, we invite other corporations, foundations, and philanthropic partners to join us in expanding this transformative work to more communities.
Your support can create lasting impact by putting opportunity into the hands of farmers, strengthening local food systems, and helping families access culturally meaningful, nutritious food. Together, we can build healthier, more resilient communities where everyone has the chance to thrive.
This Hunger Action Month, be part of what’s growing. Contact us today at comms@cafoodbanks.org
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