Community Corner
Bay Area Food Banks Face Critical Volunteer Shortage Amid Omicron
Food Banks serving 12 Northern California counties don't have enough volunteers to help provide food to more than 1 million people in need.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Five San Francisco Bay Area food banks have a critical shortage with volunteers and are reaching out to the public for assistance.
The food banks -- Alameda County Community Food Bank, Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano, Redwood Empire Food Bank, San Francisco Marin Food Bank and Second Harvest of Silicon Valley — serve 12 Northern California counties.
Collectively, Bay Area food banks feed about a million people each month.
Find out what's happening in San Franciscofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Additionally, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Alameda County Community Food Bank and San Francisco Marin Food bank are reporting an increase in requests for home delivery of free groceries, as more people are forced to isolate due to exposure or illness related to the omicron variant.
Volunteer rates at food banks tend to be traditionally slow between January and March after the holiday season, but this year's drop was more significant as employers, schools and communities reinstate stay-at-home policies, according to Diane Baker Hayward of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.
Find out what's happening in San Franciscofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
To volunteer, please contact the following:
Alameda County Community Food Bank
Counties Served: Alameda
Volunteer Sign-up: accfb.org/volunteer
Media Contact: Michael Altfest maltfest@accfb.org
Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano
Counties Served: Contra Costa and Solano counties
Volunteer Sign-up: https://volunteer.foodbankccs....
Media Contact: Cassidie Bates cbates@foodbankccs.org
Redwood Empire Food Bank
Counties Served: Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties
Volunteer Sign-up: http://refb.org/volunteer
Media Contact: Rachelle Mesheau rmesheau@refb.org
San Francisco Marin Food Bank
Counties Served: San Francisco and Marin counties
Volunteer Sign-up: https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/vo...
Media Contact: Pamela Wellner pwellner@sfmfoodbank.org
Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Counties Served: Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
Volunteer Sign-up: https://www.shfb.org/give-help...
Media Contact: Diane Baker Hayward dbakerhayward@shfb.org
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