August 2023
Dear friends,
Thankfully the temperatures have moderated a bit and we are looking forward to a good fall season.
At our August 12 supplemental food bag distribution we experienced quite a spike in demand, but our volunteers sprang into action and created more bags when it became apparent we might run out. Our team distributed 87 bags with 80 dozen eggs, 80 packages of tortillas and 80 packages of hot dogs to our clients. We made the decision to order 100 dozen eggs, tortillas and hot dogs for next month to keep up with demand.
The really good news this month is that our supply chain has stabilized and prices, although high compared to last year, have moderated a bit. Our volunteers are able to order and receive almost all the food we need, and much of it is delivered right to our doorstep.
Food Banks around the country are continuing to see new patterns of need within their communities and I suspect over the coming months, we will too. With the holiday season not too far off (planning-wise, at least) it appears we and our community and business partners will be able to provide our usual holiday delicacies for our clients.
While we continue to work hard every month to meet the food needs of clients in East Santa Cruz County, I want to especially commend the efforts of our volunteers who, in August, made sure we had the resources to distribute food to everyone in need.
The food bank was the recipient of a beautiful piece of folk art this month, created by supporters Tom Shore and Gama Leyva, which commemorated our origin years ago and illuminated the way to the future. Stop into the food bank office to see it in person, you will be amazed.
The food bank website (www.escccfoodbank.org) will be active soon, stay tuned for its exciting debut.
Moving into fall, our outlook is positive, and we continue to prove that together we can fulfill our mission and create a high-quality community that takes good care of its members.
As always, thank you very much for your support, kindness and generosity.
Jim