Loaves & Fishes Team Up with Sharks Foundation & Diversified

San Jose, CA (December 2, 2019) — Volunteers from the Sharks Foundation and technology solutions provider Diversified today joined non-profit Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen to serve a holiday meal to more than 150 homeless and low-income residents in East San Jose.

Loaves & Fishes is the largest meal service provider for the needy in the Bay Area, serving approximately 5,000 meals a day, and the nonprofit’s CEO Gisela Bushey says contributions and community support from both organizations such as the Sharks Foundation and Diversified and ordinary residents is crucial this time of year.

“In addition to the incredible generosity of the Sharks and Diversified in making this holiday meal so special for our guests, it is the spotlight their support shines on the issues of hunger and homelessness in Silicon Valley that is truly inspirational,” said Bushey. “Hunger doesn't take a holiday - and it is our hope that by helping even more people know about Loaves & Fishes’ work to feed our neighbors in need, that the support, both financial and voluntary, of our communities will multiply so that no child, no family, no veteran, or homeless person need to wonder where their next meal will come from..”

Earlier this year, Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen adopted the food recovery and distribution operation known as A La Carte from Joint Venture Silicon Valley. A La Carte is a program that consists of food trucks staffed by trained personnel who drive the trucks to neighborhoods with high-density populations of people in need. The concept is the first of its kind in the nation. Guests are given a choice of protein, starch and vegetable items, based on what the truck has available that day. It’s also possible to freeze the meal for 3-5 days after receipt, making it a great way for guests to ensure they have meals in the future. Meals are served at varying locations including Bishop Elementary, Mountain View High School, and Brentwood Academy. Anyone in need of a nutritious meal is welcome, with no questions asked.

The program, which uses donated food from regional universities and corporate campuses such as Stanford and Facebook, has doubled the non-profit’s capacity to serve meals to the needy in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. They are now serving over 1 million meals a year.