Bay Area Food Banks Seek Community Support to Help Raise $100,000 to Feed Hungry People during ABC7’s Share Your Holiday Food Drive

Daylong event in partnership with ABC7 to help raise funds for local food banks

With unemployment remaining at 9 percent in the San Francisco Bay Area, the demand for food assistance continues to increase.  Bay Area Food Banks, a collaboration of eight local food banks serving 11 northern California counties, are serving the needs of more than 600,000 Bay Area residents each month.  To continue to meet the needs at this scale, they look to the community for support.   You can help!  ABC7's Share Your Holiday Food Drive, benefitting Bay Area Food Banks, launches bright and early on Thursday, December 15 with the goal of raising $100,000 during the daylong event.

“We know that many Bay Area families have been affected by the downturn of the economy, and we want to do our part to help support the local Food Banks.  We are hopeful our generous ABC7 viewers will come together and support their local food bank and help feed hungry families this holiday season,” said William Burton, ABC7 President and General Manager.

On December 15 , starting at 5:30 a.m., ABC7 will be asking viewers to make a donation to their local food bank using one of these 7 Ways To Give:

1. Donate to your local food bank online at www.abc7news.com
2. Text FEED to 80077 to donate $10
3. Mail your check made payable to “Food Bank” to ABC7 Food Drive, 900 Front Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
4. Call in your donation in to  800-515-1719  - Volunteers will be on hand to take your donation
5. Find your local food bank on Facebook and “like” their page to stay updated on how you can get involved
6. Drop off a donation of non-perishable food items to the live food drive location at Alameda County Community Food Bank or at your local food bank
7. Schedule time to volunteer at your local food bank. Volunteers are needed throughout the year!

“We are truly grateful to ABC7 for the time, hard work and energy they have given to support the Bay Area Food Banks,” said Larry Sly, executive director of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. “The financial support food banks receive from the community is a critical part of our work. You can make a difference by giving to the ABC7 Share Your Holiday Food Drive and working together to help our neighbors in need. ”

Tune into ABC7 on December 15 for inspiring stories from people who have supported Bay Area Food Banks and from people who are in need of assistance now.  By using the ABC7 - 7 Ways To Give, you can help provide food assistance that will go to families facing hunger this holiday season and throughout the year.

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About Bay Area Food Banks

Bay Area Food Banks is a collaboration of eight local food banks serving northern California counties. Collectively they serve 600,000 adults, seniors and children each month who are in need through more than 1,500 food pantries, children’s programs, shelters, soup kitchens, residential programs, and other emergency food providers.

Contacts

Alameda County Community Food Bank - Michael Altfest (510) 684-8655 maltfest@accfb.org

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano - Lisa Sherrill (925) 408-7655 lsherrill@foodbankccs.org

Redwood Empire Food Bank (Sonoma County) - Lee Bickley (707) 523-7900, ext 15. lbickley@refb.org

San Francisco and Marin Food Banks - Stacy Newman (415) 282-1900, ext 270 snewman@sffb.org

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties - Caitlin Kerk (408) 858-9208 ckerk@shfb.org

*Mobile Donation Fine Print: $10.00 donation to Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano also benefiting other Bay Area food banks. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 80077 to STOP. Text HELP to 80077 for HELP.  Full Terms: mGive.org/T. Privacy Policy.

Get Your Copy of KFOG Live from the Archives 18!

KFOG Live from the Archives 18 is on sale now at Bay Area Peet's Coffee & Tea locations and online here.  All proceeds benefit the Bay Area Food Banks.  Preview all 21 tracks here and then order one, two or ten.  The album makes a great gift!


To date, Fogheads have raised over $4,200,000 to help Bay Area Food Banks fight local hunger.  By purchasing the album you can help feed families in need in our community.

 
"I love getting these annual reminders of the incredible generosity of KFOG, Peet's and (most importantly) the Fogheads.  I hope people feel good about what they are doing when they buy the Live from the Archives CD, because they get to listen to incredible music while they are helping feed people in need in their community." - Larry Sly, Executive Director, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano 

"Second Harvest Food Bank could not feed 1 in 10 people in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties without the contributions of our community members.  KFOG Live from the Archives makes it fun and easy to give what matters to our neighbors in need.  By purchasing copies for yourself and friends, you can make sure that no child, senior or parent goes to bed hungry." - Kathy Jackson, Second Harvest Food Bank CEO

Don't wait.  Head to Peet's now!  Thank you, Fogheads!

Boy Scouts Go Door-to-Door to Collect Food for Bay Area Food Banks on Nov. 19

Nationwide food drive helps meet crucial need for Thanksgiving

One of the nation’s largest single-day food drives takes place this Saturday, Nov. 19, when Boy Scouts will go door-to-door collecting non-perishable food for local food banks.

In the Bay Area, more than 40,000 Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Venturers, Explorers and their supporters will be “Scouting For Food” by picking up boxed or bagged non-perishable food placed on doorsteps by 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19.

Residences on the Scouts’ collection routes have received a door-hanger promoting the drive on Nov. 12. Residents who did not receive a door-hanger are not on a collection route, but they can still contribute by dropping off donations on November 19 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at locations listed at www.bayareahunger.org.

Many Scout troops including the Piedmont Council and Oakland Cub Scouts Pack 296 are also hosting online Virtual Food Drives to help raise money for Food Banks to purchase their most-needed food items. 

“The need for food in our communities has risen dramatically this year, and we’re bracing for record-breaking demand this holiday season,” said Suzan Bateson, executive director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank. “Food Banks rely on the Scouting for Food drive to provide healthy staples that will go directly to families facing hunger this winter, and year-round.”

Last year the drive brought in more than 400,000 pounds of food. In the Bay Area, the Scouts’ goal is to collect 500,000 pounds of food this year.

“We can take substantial steps toward ending hunger by working together,” said Tim Buchen of the San Francisco Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America. “But even with 40,000 Scouts on collection routes, we can’t hit every doorstep. So it’s critical that people help us out by dropping off food at their local site or participating in a Scout troop’s Virtual Food Drive.”

Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Lucky, FoodMaxx, Mi Pueblo Food Center and Berkeley Bowl locations throughout the Bay Area have in-store barrels to accept donations for Bay Area food banks throughout the holiday season.

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Boy Scouts Contact

Tim Buchen
San Francisco Bay Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
(510) 577-9000 x 207 tim.buchen@scouting.org

Food Bank Contacts

Alameda County Community Food Bank
Michael Altfest (510) 684-8655 maltfest@accfb.org

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
Lisa Sherrill (925) 408-7655 lsherrill@foodbankccs.org

San Francisco Food Bank
Stacy Newman (415) 282-1900, ext 270 snewman@sffb.org

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
Caitlin Kerk (408) 858-9208 ckerk@shfb.org

Note to media: Feel free to list any of the Scouting for Food drop-off sites on Saturday (Nov. 19), listed below, in your coverage area (sites are also listed on www.bayareahunger.org). Site hours differ, but 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. is generally accurate. For coverage purposes, these sites provide great visuals and interviews. All Bay Area Food Banks will be open on Saturday afternoon to receive and sort truck shipments from Scouting for Food collections sites.

ALAMEDA COUNTY (10)

Berkeley
St. Mary Magdalen School
2005 Berryman St.

Castro Valley
Proctor Elementary School
7520 Redwood Road

Fremont
Latter Day Saints Church
3551 Decoto Road

Hayward
Southland Mall
660 West Winton Ave. (Sears Auto Mall parking lot)

Livermore
Lucky Supermarket
2000 Portola Blvd.

Pleasanton
Walmart
4501 Rosewood Drive

Oakland
Alameda County Community Food Bank
7900 Edgewater Drive

Montclair Elementary School
1757 Mountain Blvd., south parking lot

Grocery Outlet
2900 Broadway

San Leandro
Boy Scout Office/Leadership Training Center
1001 Davis St.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY (11)

Antioch
Antioch Latter Day Saints Church
3013 Rio Grande Drive

Antioch Latter Day Saints Stake Center
2350 Jeffery Way

Brentwood
Brentwood Latter Day Saints Church
1101 McClarren Road

Concord
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
4010 Nelson Ave.

Farm Bureau Hall
5554 Clayton Road

Oak Grove Latter Day Saints Church
2930 Treat Blvd.

Danville
Danville Latter Day Saints Stake Center
655 Old Orchard Drive

Discovery Bay
Fire Station #59
1685 Bixler Road

Richmond
Hilltop Latter Day Saints Church
4351 Hilltop Drive

Lafayette
Moraga Latter Day Saints Church
3776 Via Granada

Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill Latter Day Saints Church
555 Boyd Road

MARIN COUNTY (1)

Novato
Marin Food Bank
75 Digital Drive


SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY (1)

San Francisco
San Francisco Food Bank
900 Pennsylvania Ave.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY (11)

Campbell
Home Church
1799 Winchester Blvd., Suite 100

Cupertino
West Valley Community Services Center
10104 Vista Drive

Gilroy
St Joseph's Family Center
7950 Church St., Suite A (behind St. Mary's)

Los Altos
Los Altos City Hall
One North San Antonio Road

Milpitas
Milpitas Food Pantry
196 S. Main St.

Mountain View
El Camino Hospital
2500 Grant Road

Palo Alto
Latter Day Saints Church
3865 Middlefield Road

San Jose
Second Harvest Food Bank
750 Curtner Ave.

Sacred Heart
1381 South First St.

The Lord's Pantry
Behind Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on White Road near Alum Rock Ave.

Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale Community Services Center
725 Kifer Road

SAN MATEO COUNTY (5)

El Granada
Coastside Hope
99 Avenue Alhambra

Half Moon Bay

Coastside Hope

214 Harvard Ave.

Pacifica
Pacifica Resource Center

1809 Palmetto Ave.

San Carlos

Second Harvest Food Bank

1051 Bing Street

South San Francisco
Salvation Army South San Francisco Citadel Corps
409 S. Spruce St.


SOLANO COUNTY (3)

Benicia
Benicia City Park
250 E. L St.

Fairfield
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
2339 Courage Drive, Suite F

Vallejo
Elks Lodge
2850 Redwood Parkway

Local Motorists Helped Fill Up Bay Area Food Banks by Filling Their Gas Tanks

Valero’s “Fill Up to Fight Hunger” campaign

 raises more than $164,000 for Bay Area food banks

Filling up at a local Valero station did more than just keep the car running, it also helped feed the hungry in our community.

Feeding America member food banks in the Bay Area and Valero, an international manufacturer and marketer of energy products and power, announced today that $164,262 has been raised from the “Fill Up to Fight Hunger” campaign and will be donated to the Bay Area food banks.

Valero launched “Fill Up to Fight Hunger” on April 4 to give motorists a chance to fight hunger in their communities simply by filling up with Valero fuel. For each 8-gallon fuel purchase made at a local participating Valero outlet, Valero donated $1 to local food banks, including Alameda County Community Food Bank, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, Marin Food Bank, Redwood Empire Food Bank, San Francisco Food Bank, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.

In all, the campaign resulted in $2.9 million being distributed to more than 125 food banks across the country.

“At a time when every penny counts in the fight against hunger, Valero stepped up and put real dollars to work in our community,” said Larry Sly, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano’s executive director. “Local motorists helped fill up our food bank as they filled their gas tanks, and we are thankful for their support as we work to feed the one in six people who are faced with hunger in the Bay Area.”

Both company-owned Valero Corner Stores and independently operated Valero-branded locations participated in “Fill Up to Fight Hunger.”

About the Bay Area Food Banks

Bay Area Food Banks is a collaboration of eight local food banks serving 11 northern California counties, which serve more than  600,000 Bay Area residents monthly. Through 1,560 food pantries, children's programs, shelters, soup kitchens, residential programs, and other emergency food providers, Bay Area Food Banks distribute 142 million pounds of food each year. We serve anyone in need with dignity and compassion. To learn more about your local food bank and the work they do or to find out how you can help, visit bayareahunger.org or call us at 800-870-FOOD.

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit feedingamerica.org

MEDIA CONTACTS

Alameda County Community Food Bank – Michael Altfest

(510) 636-3663, ext. 330. maltfest@accfb.org

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano – Lisa Sherrill

(925) 408-7655. lsherrill@foodbankccs.org

Redwood Empire Food Bank (Sonoma County) – Lee Bickley

(707) 523-7900, ext 15. lbickley@refb.org

San Francisco Food Bank & Marin Food Bank – Stacy Newman

(415) 282-1900, ext 270. snewman@sffb.org

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties – Caitlin Kerk

(408) 266-8866, ext 368. ckerk@shfb.org

NBC Bay Area Teams Up With Safeway to Stock Bay Area Food Bank Shelves One-Day Food Drive

NBC Bay Area, in partnership with Safeway, is hosting a one-day food drive on Saturday, November 19, to benefit hungry people throughout the Bay Area. More than 600,000 Bay Area residents require the assistance of their local Bay Area Food Bank every month. The food drive takes place at 165 Safeway locations throughout the Bay Area, so it is easy for community members to participate and help feed their neighbors in need.     

NBC Bay Area and the Bay Area Food Banks will mobilize for one day of food collections at Safeway stores to collect thousands of pounds of much-needed food.

“In addition to providing on-air promotion, we are organizing hundreds of volunteers throughout the Bay Area to encourage shoppers to donate,” said Lance Lew, NBC Bay Area Community Marketing Director. “It is easy to pick up a pre-packed $10 grocery bag that is filled with the foods local families need most. Our goal is to increase awareness about local hunger while also giving community members a convenient way to help out at a critical time.”

Displays at all Safeway stores will be filled with $10 bags that shoppers can purchase and donate to their local food bank. These bags include items such as rice, stuffing, canned vegetables and cranberry sauce. Once collected, the bags will be delivered to food banks before the Thanksgiving holiday. 

“We thank NBC Bay Area and Safeway for bringing attention to the severity of local hunger and for creating a simple way for anyone in our community to help a family in need,” said Kathy Jackson, Second Harvest Food Bank CEO. “Bay Area Food Banks are feeding people in every neighborhood and through this drive you can donate to make a difference in the lives of people where you live.”

Additionally, Food Banks across the nation have the chance to earn a financial donation from Kraft Foods. The food banks with the most donated bags per 100 shopper transactions will receive a donation, which can be used to purchase additional food. 

If you wish to coordinate a volunteer team (4-8 people) to help collect food at your local Safeway on November 19, please visit www.bayareaproud.com to register. If you cannot participate on November 19, bags will be available for purchase from November 15 through the end of December. 

About Bay Area Food Banks:

Bay Area Food Banks is a collaboration of eight local food banks  that serve more than 600,000 people in 11 northern California counties each month. Through 1,560 food pantries, children's programs, shelters, soup kitchens, residential programs, and other emergency food providers, Bay Area Food Banks distributes 142 million pounds of food each year. With respect and compassion, the Food Banks serve anyone in need.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Alameda County Community Food Bank – Michael Altfest

(510) 636-3663, ext. 330. maltfest@accfb.org

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano – Lisa Sherrill

(925) 676-7543, ext. 206. lsherrill@foodbankccs.org

Redwood Empire Food Bank (Sonoma County) – Lee Bickley

(707) 523-7900, ext 15. lbickley@refb.org

San Francisco Food Bank & Marin Food Bank – Stacy Newman

(415) 282-1900, ext 270. snewman@sffb.org

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties – Caitlin Kerk

(408) 266-8866, ext 368. ckerk@shfb.org

KGO Radio Fights Hunger Day Moves Community to Raise Nearly $200,000 (and counting) to Support Bay Area Food Banks

With 1 in 4 children and 1 in 5 adults in the Bay Area at risk of hunger, KGO Radio and Bay Area Food Banks joined forces for the first annual KGO Fights Hunger Day Radio-a-thon on September 16, 2011, to raise awareness and much-needed funds to alleviate hunger in the Bay Area.

KGO Newstalk 810 aired special programming about the realities of hunger throughout the day long broadcast, all designed to motivate people to make a donation to support Bay Area Food Banks.  KGO listeners responded with heartfelt enthusiasm. To date, nearly 200,000 has been raised to fight hunger in the Bay Area through this inaugural campaign.

For every $1 received, Bay Area Food Banks can distribute an average of $4 worth of food.

Listeners heard from Food Bank clients around the Bay Area, including several families who, despite having two working adults, still struggle to provide healthy food for their children.  Under pressure from underemployment and the rising cost of living in the Bay Area, these clients have turned to food banks to ensure that they have enough food for their families until the next paycheck.  The stories inspired callers from around the Bay to share their own struggles with hunger. 

The message that KGO shared was simple, yet powerful: Hunger can happen to any of us -- and it takes all of us working together to make sure everyone has enough to eat.

KGO’s on-air personalities including Jennifer Jones Lee, Ronn Owens, Gil Gross kept the focus on hunger throughout the day, and KGO reporters Jeffrey Schaub and Rob Artigo aired interviews and poignant profiles of food bank clients from all walks of life.  Many of the people who turn to the food banks for assistance are working, yet struggle to get by.  After paying for housing, transportation, childcare and health care, there’s not much money left to put toward healthy food.

“There are hundreds of thousands of adults, children and seniors in our community who simply cannot make ends meet and are faced with the realities of hunger,” said Paul Ash, Executive Director of the San Francisco Food Bank. “Many people don’t realize the scope of hunger here in the Bay Area. The awareness generated by KGO and the money that has been donated by KGO listeners will make a tremendous difference in our efforts to fight hunger, and we are deeply grateful for their support.”

Bay Area Food Banks is a collaboration of eight local food banks  that serve over 600,000 people in 11 northern California counties each month.  Through 1,560 food pantries, children's programs, shelters, soup kitchens, residential programs, and other emergency food providers, Bay Area Food Banks distributes 142 million pounds of food each year. With respect and compassion the Food Banks serve anyone in need.


“I am so proud of what our listeners and staff was able to accomplish in just 14 hours.” Said Jack Swanson KGO Operations Director “this was an eye-opening experience for all of us and we all now know how much these vital services are needed in our community.” 

Subway Fights Bay Area Hunger

This spring, all 450+ Bay Area Subway restaurants participated in Fit to Fight Hunger and the results of their efforts are in!  While promoting healthy eating Subway also focused on giving back.  Five Bay Area Food Banks received a tasty donation - $30,000 to feed hungry people.

Lance Lew (NBC Bay Area), Rajiv Kohli (Subway Restaurants)
and Tami Cardenas (Second Harvest Food Bank)

Subway's donation comes at a critical time - during the season of childhood hunger.  With school out for the summer, 1 in 4 Bay Area children are left without the free or reduced price meals they rely on throughout the academic year.  Subway, an expert on healthy lunches, is helping the food banks to provide nutritious food for local children.

Thank you Subway!

KGO Fights Hunger Day – September 16, 2011 – KGO Radio Studios & Bay Area Food Banks

KGO Newstalk 810 is joining forces with Bay Area Food Banks to fight hunger in 2011.  KGO Fights Hunger Day is Friday, September 16 and will consist of a live radio event dedicated to raising awareness and much needed funds for local food banks in all nine Bay Area counties.  KGO will conduct a series of live interviews, special reports, and online features to encourage and direct listeners to donate by calling a special phone bank or visiting the website.

KGO General Manager Deidra Lieberman and San Francisco Food Bank 

Director Paul Ash announced KGO Fights Hunger Day on May 25^th  

Many of the people who turn to the Food Banks for assistance are employed, but still cannot make ends meet.  After paying for housing, transportation, childcare, and healthcare, there’s not much money left to put towards healthy food. In fact, 1 in 5 Adults and 1 in 4 Children in the Bay Area are at risk of hunger.

You can make a donation now for the KGO Fights Hunger Drive by finding your Food Bank here. For every $1 received, Food Banks in the Bay Area can distribute an average of $4 worth of food.

Starting on Sunday, September 11th, you can also participate in the Hunger Challenge as part of the KGO Fights Hunger Drive. The Hunger Challenge asks people to eat with just $4 per day, the average food stamp benefit in the Bay Area. Visit HungerChallenge.com to learn more and sign up.

Thanks in advance for your support in helping to feed people in need in our community. 

To contact your Food Bank, call 800-870-FOOD (3663).  The call is geo-routed so you will speak with a representative at your local food bank. www.kgoradio.com/hunger