Food for People Programs
The programs offered by Food for People are intended to serve as a safety net for those whose circumstances have left them at risk of hunger and food insecurity. Our goal is to provide individuals and households with the emergency and supplemental food they need, while working to address the root causes of hunger in our county.
Food for People is designated as the Food Bank for Humboldt County and coordinates distribution of food countywide through a variety of hunger relief programs. We also serve as the food pantry for the greater Eureka area and oversee the direct distribution of food on Wednesdays and Fridays to an average of 1000 households (2800-3000 individuals) per month.
Our Emergency Food Pantry Network provides food for 16 pantries and 6 congregate meal programs (soup kitchens) located throughout Humboldt County. Food for People monitors each site, and provides technical assistance, as needed. Collectively, these food pantries serve approximately 7,000 people each month. The pantries are located in Arcata, Bridgeville, Blue Lake, Eureka, Fortuna, Garberville, Loleta, McKinleyville, Orick, Trinidad, Scotia, Ferndale and Willow Creek. Click here for locations and schedules.
The Senior Brown Bag Program has been in operation since 1987, and currently provides a bag of groceries for an average of 560 low income seniors age 60 or older each month. Volunteer drivers deliver bags to those who are unable to pick up their own food. Services are currently provided in Arcata, Blue Lake, Bridgeville, Eureka, Fortuna, Hoopa, Manila, McKinleyville, Orick, Orleans, Redway, Rio Dell, Trinidad, Weitchpec and Willow Creek.
The Homebound Delivery Program provides a monthly bag of groceries for individuals who are too ill or disabled to leave their homes. Services may be provided on either a short-term or long-term basis, depending on the nature of their illness or disability. Referrals are accepted from hospital discharge planners, social workers, home health workers, etc. This program is completely supported by local donations and serves an average of 70/month. Food boxes are delivered by volunteers to recipients in Bridgeville, Eureka, Fortuna, Loleta, Manila, Arcata, McKinleyville, Orick, Rio Dell and Trinidad.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program provides a 30-40 pound box of nutritious, USDA commodity foods monthly for 300 program participants. Our target population includes income eligible seniors, pregnant or nursing mothers and children up to age 5 who are not enrolled in WIC (Women, Infants and Children program).
The Summer Food Service Program, also known as the Children’s Summer Lunch Program, provides free sack lunches to low income children whose families cannot afford the additional cost of the extra meals once school is out. The majority of the children served qualify for free or reduced cost breakfast and lunch during the school year. Last summer, we provided 13,307 lunches at 16 community sites thanks to the support provided by a wide variety of community partners.
The After School Snack Program was initiated in October 2006 and provides healthy snacks in after school settings at various schools and youth programs for more than 300 children per day. Many of the sites are also partners in the summer lunch program.
The Backpacks for Kids Program will be in its seventh year and provides a backpack filled with kid-friendly food on Fridays during the school year for children who are considered at risk for hunger over the weekend. Last year we served an average of 400 children per week at different sites including Alice Birney Elementary School, Blue Lake Elementary, Fortuna Middle School, South Fortuna Elementary, Redway Elementary, Eagle Prairie Elementary, South Bay Elementary, Manila Community Resource Center and the Homeless Education Project.
Funding for new sites was provided through a grant from Safeway Foundation, Umpqua Bank and St. Joseph's Care for the Poor Grant. Ongoing funding is provided through local donations and partnerships. The Fortuna Sunrise Rotary Club provides 100% of the funding for the children served at Fortuna South Elementary School and Fortuna Middle School thanks to donations from their Club and a grant from the McLean Foundation; the Eureka Rotary Club provides 100% of the funding and volunteer support for the children served at Alice Birney; and the Garberville Rotary Club is providing volunteer support and partial funding for the children served in Redway.
The Nonprofit Food Network allows 26 local nonprofit organizations providing residential, rehabilitation or after school programs to access food obtained through Feeding America (formerly known as America’s Second Harvest) at a low, per pound cost. Food must be used by programs serving only low income children and adults.
The Gleaning Program accesses donations of fresh produce from local farms and orchards throughout the growing season. Volunteers help harvest the produce under the supervision of our Local Food Resources Coordinator. The program also encompasses the nationwide “Plant a Row for the Hungry” campaign, which encourages backyard gardeners to plant an extra row of food to donate to a local food pantry.
Community Education and Outreach Programs include Hunger 101, a hands-on curriculum designed for children and adults of all ages which provides insight into the tough decisions low income households face daily when trying to obtain adequate nutrition. Our Food Stamp Access Outreach Project advocates for the elimination of bureaucratic barriers to food stamps for working families and seniors and provides direct assistance in the application process. Recipes and other nutrition education information are provided in the food boxes to help recipients understand the correlation between diet and health. Cooking and nutrition classes are offered monthly at the Eureka Coop demonstration kitchen to help participants learn how to prepare healthier meals on a budget. We also provide materials and presentations on a regular basis for partner organizations.
The Emergency Food and Disaster Program links Food for People with our local chapter of VOAD, Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster. Should a disaster strike Humboldt County, Food for People would work with other local groups to make food available to any community experiencing hardship.
