YOSEMITE — Due to the Shelter-in-Place order issued by Governor Newsom, California’s food banks have experienced an increase in demand and a shortage of volunteers. The California Association of Food Banks, which represents 41 food banks, has estimated that food banks across the state will need $116 million for additional emergency food to satisfy the growing need because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 20, Governor Newsom deployed the California National Guard to provide personnel and logistical equipment to food bank distribution warehouses in Sacramento County as well as food banks in Amador, Indio, Monterey, Placer, Riverside, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
The California National Guard will be conducting site assessments for counties that have requested short-term support and stabilization.
Donate or Volunteer to Local Food Banks and Help Out Your Neighbor
The Neighbor-to-Neighbor Campaign has been created, which focuses on older adults and promotes ways to safely check on neighbors, family, and friends.
The campaign is run by California Volunteers, and has collaborated with the social networking service, Nextdoor, to ensure that vulnerable community members have the necessities during periods of home isolation.
If you are interested in donating your time or money, the nine food banks in the 5th Assembly District need your help. Call or text your neighbors to make sure they have food and necessities.
Go to CaliforniaVolunteers.ca.gov for more opportunities to help!
Madera County Food Bank
225 South Pine Street
Madera, CA 93637
Madera
559-674-1482
Eastern Sierra Continuum of Care
137 E. South Street
Bishop, CA 93514
Alpine
760-873-8557
Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency
10590 Highway 88
Jackson, CA 95642
Amador
209-984-3960
Interfaith Food Bank Amador County
12181 Airport Road
Jackson, CA 95642
Amador
209-267-9006
Sierra Hope
1168 Booster Way
Angels Camp, CA 95222
Calaveras
209-736-6792
The Resource Connection Food Bank
206 George Reed Drive
San Andreas, CA 95249
Calaveras
209-754-1257
Food Bank of El Dorado
4550 Business Drive
Cameron Park, CA 95682
El Dorado
530-621-9950
Acres of Hope
13675 Bowman Road
Auburn, CA 95603
Placer
530-878-8030
Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency
427 North Highway 49
Suite 302
Sonora, CA 95370
Tuolumne
209-984-3960
Sierra NonProfit Services
591 South Washington Street
Sonora, CA 95370
Tuolumne
209-533-1093
If You Need Federal Assistance
In addition to California’s efforts, the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), H.R. 6201, among other emergency and disaster relief assistance, allocates an additional $400 million to support increased distribution of food at food banks across the nation.
The FFCRA also establishes Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), which will provide additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or CalFresh in California) dollars to current SNAP recipients and will provide funds to children eligible free and reduced-price school lunch whose families may not be currently receiving SNAP.
The FFCRA will go into effect by April 2, 2020. However, the USDA has indicated that the funds and commodities allocated for food banks through H.R. 6201 may not be available until July.
Recently, negotiations have been reached on an agreement on a third federal COVID-19 related stimulus package — Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act—which proposes to allocate an additional $450 million for commodities and distribution of emergency food assistance through community partners, including food banks.