WAYS TO GIVE
Give Now
Help us serve over 400,000 food insecure neighbors in need in Orange County each month.
Give Monthly
Pledge weekly, monthly or yearly and become a Community Circle member to help us ensure that families, children and seniors don’t go without the food they need.
Give Food*
In addition to financial gifts, we and our partner network welcome gifts of food from individuals, food drives and food manufacturers.
OTHER WAYS TO GIVE
There are many more ways to get involved and help Second Harvest ensure all are well fed in OC.
For any questions about giving to Second Harvest Food Bank, please contact us at 949-653-2900 or give@feedoc.org.
GIVING BY CHECK
If you would like to make a donation by check,
please make it payable to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and mail it to:
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Attn: Development Department
8014 Marine Way
Irvine, CA 92618
COMPANY/CORPORATE GIVING
Second Harvest would love to collaborate with your corporate team! For more information, click here. Contact us at Give@feedoc.org with any questions.
COMMUNITY FUNDRAISERS
Interested in hosting a fundraiser (i.e. donating a portion of the sale or proceeds) to benefit Second Harvest? Click here for the guidelines and application. Please complete the document and send it to give@feedoc.org with a brief description of your event. A team member will reply to your inquiry within 3-5 business days with additional questions or approval. Use of the Second Harvest logo for your promotion requires an additional logo license agreement. Please email give@feedoc.org with any questions.
WORKPLACE GIVING / EMPLOYER MATCHING GIFTS
Click HERE for details.
DONATE CRYPTOCURRENCY
Second Harvest accepts crypto! Donating cryptocurrency is a non-taxable event, meaning you do not owe capital gains tax on the appreciated amount and can deduct it on your taxes. This makes Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency donations one of the most tax-efficient ways to support Second Harvest.
To donate cryptocurrency now, click here.
PLANNED GIVING
Planned giving provides an opportunity to make a meaningful gift to Second Harvest that reflects your personal values and ensures that your commitment to nutritional security extends for generations. In addition to making a lasting impact, planned gifts often come with potential financial and tax benefits for you and your family. Please click HERE for more information. The drop-down sections below also include more details.
BEQUESTS
Planning for the future and creating the legacy you wish to leave is one of the most effective ways to ensure a lasting impact. Making a gift in your will or living trust, known as a bequest (or naming Second Harvest as a beneficiary of a retirement or savings account, life insurance policy, or charitable trust) can guarantee that your legacy endures. Your gift may be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate or the remainder after all other provisions are specified.
Our federal tax ID number is: 32-0362611
Below is suggested verbiage to use when drafting your bequest.
For a gift that allows Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County to determine how to use the funds based on the most pressing needs, consider using the following language for your will and/or trust:
SAMPLE LANGUAGE
“I give to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, a nonprofit corporation currently located at 8014 Marine Way, Irvine, CA 92618-2235, or its successor thereto, _________ [insert written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted charitable use and purpose."
If you have named Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County in your will or trust, please let us know by completing the Daniel J. Harney Legacy Society form (click HERE). Daniel J. Harney, founder of Second Harvest Food Bank, was a pioneer for change and left a legacy of hunger relief in Orange County. Harney established Society of St. Vincent de Paul in 1978, later known as Second Harvest Food Bank, stewarding the community around him to help create a positive impact. Second Harvest established the Daniel J. Harney Legacy Society to keep his generous spirit alive by encouraging supporters to support the Food Bank through planned giving. If you prefer to remain anonymous, we will keep your name and commitment in strict confidence.
Please contact Christine Montevideo, Major Gifts Officer, at (949) 208-3150 or Christine@FeedOC.org for questions and interest.
DONATE STOCKS, SECURITIES & MUTUAL FUNDS
Donations of stock can be made by contacting your broker, providing Second Harvest’s stock brokerage account information (see below), and requesting that the desired number of shares be transferred electronically to Second Harvest’s account
• Name of SHFB brokerage: Morgan Stanley
• DTC number: 0015 Morgan Stanley
• Account number: 242-092645-049
• Name on the account: Second Harvest • Food Bank of Orange County
• SHFB brokerage address: 2677 N. Main Street, Suite 1000, Santa Ana, CA 92705
• Brokerage contact name: John Privitelli
• Brokerage contact phone number: 714-648-3410
• SHFB contact who works with Morgan Stanley brokerage: Joyce Foley, CFO
• SHFB Federal Tax ID #: 32-0362611
If you have any questions, you may contact Crystal Tosello, Director of Annual Campaign at crystal@feedoc.org or 949-620-3994.
Benefits of donating stock:
1. Avoid capital gains tax – Gifting stock can help you avoid paying federal capital gains tax, and most donors can also claim an income tax deduction for the stock’s full market value.
2. Make a bigger impact – When you give appreciated stock directly to Second Harvest, your gift can be up to 20% larger because you avoid the taxes you would incur from selling and donating the cash. This means more money going to support our neighbors in need.
DONOR ADVISED FUND
What is a Donor Advised Fund?
A donor-advised fund (DAF) provides donors with a centralized charitable giving vehicle. It allows philanthropically inclined individuals, families, and corporations to make an irrevocable charitable gift to a public charity that sponsors a DAF program and take an immediate tax deduction. Most sponsoring organizations of DAFs accept cash equivalents, securities, and certain other assets.
How It Works
Establish your DAF by making an irrevocable, tax-deductible donation to a public charity that sponsors a DAF program. Advise the investment allocation of the donated assets (any investment growth is tax-free). Recommend grants to qualified public charities of your choice.
Donor Benefits
Simplicity—The DAF sponsor handles all recordkeeping, disbursements, and tax receipts.
Flexibility—Timing of your tax deduction can be separate from your charitable decision making.
Tax efficiency—Contributions are tax-deductible, and any investment growth in the DAF is tax-free. It is also easy to donate long-term appreciated securities, eliminating capital gains taxes.
Family legacy—A DAF is a powerful way to build or continue a tradition of family philanthropy.
No start-up costs—There is no cost to establish a donor-advised fund. However, there are often minimum initial charitable contributions to establish the DAF.
No transaction fees—Once approved, 100% of your recommended grant goes to your qualified public charity of choice.
Privacy if desired—Donors may choose to remain anonymous to the grant recipient.
Next Steps
Contact Crystal Tosello, Director of Annual Campaign, at crystal@feedoc.org or 949-620-3994 to discuss using your donor-advised funds to support the Food Bank and our mission. Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor. If you include the Food Bank in your plans, please use our legal name and federal tax ID.
Legal name: Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Address: 8014 Marine Way, Irvine, CA 92618-2235
Federal tax ID number: 32-0362611
MAKING A QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION FROM YOUR IRA
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), also known as IRA Charitable Rollovers, are the savviest way for individuals aged 70 ½ or older to use their IRAs to maximize their charitable impact.
Contact your financial adviser to discuss making a QCD to Second Harvest Food Bank.
Why QCDs might be for you
Making a QCD from your IRA can be a great option to lower your income taxes while doing good for others. If you are subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs) (as of 1/1/2023, the age to start taking RMDs increased from age 72 to age 73, with the exception of donors who turned 72 before January 1, 2023), QCDs count toward your RMD (currently up to $105,000), effectively lower your adjusted gross income, and can bring about important tax benefits.
What is a Qualified Charitable Distribution?
When individuals take a distribution from their IRAs, it usually counts as income for tax purposes. QCDs, also called IRA Charitable Rollovers, are an exception. Individuals 70½ years of age or older can distribute up to $105,000 each year* from their IRAs to their favorite qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations without the distribution counting as income.
Please go to the IRS website for additional useful information on QCDs.
* The amount that donors can give to charity via QCD will increase by a percentage in 2025 to account for inflation.
What is a Required Minimum Distribution?
The Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is the smallest amount eligible individuals must distribute from their traditional IRA each year. The penalty for missing an RMD is 25% of the amount that was supposed to have been distributed.
If you’re 70 ½ or older but you don’t have an RMD yet, you can still make a QCD. Doing so can lower your adjusted gross income and effectively reduce your income taxes.
To learn more, feel free to check out the IRS website for additional useful information on RMDs.
Please reach out to Crystal Tosello, Director of Annual Campaign, at crystal@feedoc.org or 949-620-3994 to learn more.
HONORARY GIFTS
Honorary gifts are a great way pay tribute to those you love. Your donation will ensure that children won’t go to bed hungry and seniors won’t have to choose between food and medication.
You can make a gift that gives back in the name of a loved one. Honorary gifts celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or the memory of loved ones. Please contact Crystal Tosello, Director of Annual Campaign, at crystal@feedoc.org or 949-620-3994 to find out more.
IN-KIND DONATIONS
Second Harvest welcomes donations of equipment or services that will help us feed the hungry. There are many opportunities to give your talents as a professional or to donate gently-used equipment such as refrigerated trucks. For a current list of opportunities, please email InKind@feedoc.org
RETAILER REWARDS PROGRAMS
Donate to Second Harvest Food Bank just by doing your regular shopping! Many retailers have programs that help you give back to your favorite nonprofit.
- RALPH’S COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION PROGRAM : Click HERE for details.
- WALMART: Did you know that every time you shop on Walmart.com, you can round up your change and donate it to SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF ORANGE COUNTY INC? Click HERE to learn how small acts can lead to big impact at #WalmartSparkGood.
Food Drives
VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVES
Virtual Food Drives are one of the best ways you or your company can make a difference in this challenging time. Join us in our mission to provide food and nutritional security for all in OC! Click here to read more, or set up your individual or corporate Virtual Food Drive here.
TRADITIONAL FOOD DRIVES
Many of our partners and pantries will accept your individual food donations or those from food drives. Please click here to find a location near you. Please note that Second Harvest no longer accepts these donations directly so that we can focus on providing the highest levels of food nutrition and quality for those we serve, as well as processing bulk pallet and truckloads of food from local and national commercial manufacturers and distributors that meet the current high volume of need.
FOOD INDUSTRY DONATIONS
Donated food from manufacturers, retailers, distributors, farmers, packers and others helps us feed hundreds of thousands of people every month. Click here to learn more.
VOLUNTEER
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Second Harvest Food Bank! We are grateful to have a tremendous community working alongside us to ensure all are well fed in Orange County. On behalf of our team here at Second Harvest as well as those we serve, thank you!
Second Harvest welcomes all adults and children who meet the age minimums to sign up: 7 years and older at Harvest Solutions Farm and 13 and older in our Distribution Center. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a chaperone.
Please continue scrolling for details about our volunteer program and to find an opportunity that works best for you.
We appreciate your consideration of donating your time to help us fulfill our mission. If you or your team would like to support Second Harvest even further with a financial donation, please click HERE.
ADULT VOLUNTEERS (Ages 18+ and not volunteering with a minor or group)
Please continue scrolling for details about our volunteer program and to find an opportunity that works best for you.
YOUTH VOLUNTEERS (Ages 7-17)
Current age requirements are as follows:
-
Volunteer opportunities for kids –
Ages 7-13 with chaperone*: Come volunteer at Harvest Solutions Farm or Founders Farm.
-
Volunteer opportunities for teens –
Ages 13-15 with chaperone*: Come volunteer at Harvest Solutions Farm, Founders Farm or in our Distribution Center.
-
Volunteer opportunities for older teens –
Ages 16-17 (no chaperone required): Come volunteer at Harvest Solutions Farm, Founders Farm or in our Distribution Center.
Registrations for minors (ages 7-17) require confirmation from our Volunteer team. Please click on the request form below. (To view the calendar with upcoming volunteer shifts, please click HERE.)
*Chaperone Requirements: Chaperones must be 21 or older and must be present for the entire event. For youth groups, please check the individual event details on the registration page for the chaperone ratio requirements.
GROUP VOLUNTEER RESERVATIONS (10+ individuals)
Group volunteer opportunities are based on availability per shift at the time of the request. (For groups of 2-9 people, please register as individuals. If your group includes children, please submit the Volunteer Request Form For 7-17 Year Olds). All volunteer opportunities are filled on a first come, first served basis. Group volunteer requests must be for regularly-scheduled volunteer shifts in either our Distribution Center, at Harvest Solutions Farm or at Founders Farm.
Prior to submitting your group volunteer reservation request, please check the volunteer shift calendar to ensure enough volunteer spots are available to accommodate your entire group.
DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Come volunteer with us at our Distribution Center in Irvine! Volunteer shifts include Distribution Center Volunteering and Park-It Market 2 – Truck Loading.
Distribution Center Volunteering shifts involve participants processing nutritious fruits and vegetables to be distributed to our community Partner Network.
Park-It Market 2 – Truck Loading shifts involve loading Park-It Market 2, our mobile market, with items such as fresh produce, non-perishable goods and other supplies needed for the distribution.
These volunteer opportunities are open to volunteers ages 13 and older with an adult chaperone. Distribution Center shifts are Monday through Friday.
Click here for an inside look at a Distribution Center volunteer shift.
FARM PROGRAMS
Join us as we plant, harvest, weed and maintain the fields of Harvest Solutions Farm and the grow boxes at Founders Farm, both located just down the road from the Food Bank in Irvine. These are outdoor opportunities.
Harvest Solutions Farm is a partnership with the UC South Coast Research and Extension Center and Solutions for Urban Agriculture.
Volunteer shifts for our Farm Programs currently welcome volunteers ages 7 and older with an adult chaperone.
Harvest Solutions Farm shifts are Tuesday through Saturday. Founders Farm shifts are Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Click here to experience the launch and vision of Harvest Solutions Farm.
OTHER
SPECIAL EVENTS
Second Harvest Food Bank offers select volunteer opportunities throughout the year for Food Bank events (such as the Walk to Feed OC), community events and industry events (such as conventions and other food expos). Please click the button below to view and register for currently-scheduled special event volunteer opportunities.
COURT ORDERED COMMUNITY SERVICE INDIVIDUALS
All individuals requiring court-ordered community service hours must be referred through OneOC. Second Harvest cannot sign off on hours without referral from OneOC. For more information, please visit OneOC’s Website.
VOLUNTEER NEWS
ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE
ADVOCACY & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
AT SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK
Food banks play a critical role in addressing food insecurity, but we can’t do it alone.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County strategically engages in year-round advocacy work by raising awareness of hunger issues and mobilizing support at every level of government. Our goal is to affect policy solutions that address public nutrition and other anti-poverty programs. We can’t achieve our vision of an Orange County with food and nutritional security for all without advocating for change in the systems and structures that created the hunger crisis in the first place.
We work with both our food bank coalitions and community partners, including neighbors with lived experience of hunger, to educate the public and policymakers about food insecurity. We encourage them (and you!) to partner with us in our mission to provide dignified, equitable and consistent access to nutritious food for all.
ADVOCACY WORKS
Permanent
Summer Meals
Child nutrition advocacy efforts helped establish a permanent summer meals program called SUN Bucks, helping to ensure that our nation’s children have access to nutritious meals when schools, and their cafeterias, are closed for the summer.
Free School
Meals for All
We joined our advocacy partners to help pass a first-in-the-nation Universal School Meals Program to provide free breakfast and lunch to all K-12 public school students in California.
Funding
for Food
Our advocacy efforts helped secure continued funding for the CalFood program in the California state budget, enabling food banks to purchase California-produced foods to meet their communities’ diverse food needs.
JOIN US AND TAKE ACTION
SECOND HARVEST ENGAGEMENT NETWORK (SHEN)
Want to learn more about food insecurity issues and how you can advocate on behalf of the Food Bank? Sign up to be a part of our Engagement Network!
When you sign up, you will receive our introductory food insecurity training email series, as well as receive our monthly Advocacy Update via email. You will also receive Action Alerts for specific time-sensitive engagement activities throughout
the year.
COMMUNITY VOICES ACADEMY
Do you or someone you know have lived experience of food insecurity? Are you passionate about food access and are ready to take your advocacy involvement to the next level? Get training on how to integrate your voice and the voices of our community to advocate for sustainable change in our food systems in our Community Voices Academy.
COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
Graduates of the Community Voices Academy are then invited to join our Community Champions group. This cohort of trained advocates can be called upon to provide direct input on the advocacy work of the Food Bank, as well as share their lived experience and/or passion about food and nutritional insecurity issues.
FOOD FELLOWS
Are you a college or university student in Orange County who would like to be more involved in supporting and advocating for the Food Bank? Learn more about our Food Fellows Program.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
ELEVATING THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Community Conversations are listening sessions with community members currently facing food and nutritional insecurity. Facilitated by the Food Bank and held in partnership with our distribution partners, they aim to aid in community-building by fostering ongoing two-way communication between the Food Bank and the community we serve, with the goal of identifying and keeping a pulse on the root causes of hunger specific to our region.
LEARN MORE
ADVOCACY UPDATES
- June Advocacy Update Spring Lobby Season & Elevating the Voices of our Community
- May Advocacy Update Legislative Season is in Full Swing & Welcoming our new Policy & Advocacy Fellow
- April Advocacy Update Washington, D.C. Fly-In & Champions for Change
- January Advocacy Update New Legislative Cycles Begin & Food Need Rises in Orange County
RESOURCE LIBRARY
- >>ADVOCATE IN ORANGE COUNTY
- >>ADVOCATE IN CALIFORNIA
- >>ADVOCATE NATIONALLY
- >>VOTING RESOURCES
PARTNERS IN ADVOCACY
We can’t do it alone and extend our thanks to our elected officials, community advocates, partners & coalitions:
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is a nonpartisan organization and does not endorse or oppose political parties or political candidates running for office.
For more information, contact
Malia Cary
Government & Public Affairs Manager
malia@feedoc.org
949.208.3152
EVENTS
For questions about our events, please contact specialevents@feedoc.org.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2025
HARVESTERS FASHION SHOW & LUNCHEON
More details to come. Click HERE to see the 2024 event.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2026
4TH ANNUAL WALK TO FEED OC
More details to come. Click HERE to see the 3rd annual Walk details.
REQUEST AN AMBASSADOR
Volunteer Ambassadors
Second Harvest Food Bank Ambassadors are a highly trained group of volunteers who represent the Food Bank throughout Orange County when staff is not available. From staffing community tabling events, to speaking to corporate and community groups about the work of the Food Bank, our Ambassadors are a key part of the Food Bank’s outreach strategy. Most have been involved with the Food Bank for many years. Their dedication and commitment to volunteer service on behalf of the Food Bank’s mission is invaluable to Food Bank staff.
If you would like to schedule an Ambassador to speak to your corporate or community group or staff an information table and share about the work of the Food Bank, please contact Malia Cary at malia@feedoc.org.
Becoming an Ambassador
New Ambassador applications are reviewed on a yearly basis each January. New Ambassadors are admitted to the program based on cohort availability and are asked to commit to the program for at least one calendar year. All applicants must have volunteered at least 80 hours with the Food Bank prior to applying and must demonstrate willingness and availability to regularly participate in community opportunities. If you meet these qualifications and would like to be placed on the waiting list, please contact Malia Cary at malia@feedoc.org.
FOOD INDUSTRY
DONATIONS
Our Sourcing and Sustainability Department serves the needs of our partners through donors, vendors, and individuals like you. Whether you’re a manufacturer, distributor, retailer, restaurant, or caterer, we have various programs that aim to connect every ounce of dignified food directly back into our community.
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County fully functions as a food bank distribution center, receiving and sending out fresh/frozen/dry products in multiple-pallet loads through commercial-sized vehicles. If you have individual donations to give, please find a partner site nearest you to support directly. If you have not yet bought items to donate, please consider making a sourcing department financial donation of the same value to help our team support the vision of food and nutritional security for all.
FOOD SOURCING DONATIONS
Are you a local company looking to donate? Please contact us at FoodSourcing@FeedOC.org with a description of your item(s), your reason for donating, pack size, quantity, storage temperature requirements, and preferred delivery/pickup time. Our team will be happy to assist you from there.
Through our Feeding America partnership, we also coordinate and receive donations from national brands like Barilla, Beyond Meat, Bragg, Conagra, Dole Foods, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Orgain, Vita Coco, and WK Kellogg.
Not sure if your potential donation applies? Or would you like your donation to be scheduled on a weekly or monthly basis? Please fill out our Food Donation Form and we will be in touch on next steps.
GROCERY RESCUE DONATIONS
Need a solution for disposal fees or SB 1383 requirements? Our Grocery Rescue program helps grocers donate:
- Meat
- Dairy
- Deli
- Produce
- Bakery
- Frozen food
- Shelf-stable food
Our department works with your store to schedule recurring pickups in temperature-controlled trucks so we can deliver your consistent, dependable donations directly to our community partners, ensuring peak freshness.
Current Grocery Rescue partners include Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger (Ralphs/Food 4 Less), Albertsons/Vons/Pavilions, Target, Gelson’s, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Amazon Fresh, Costco Wholesale, Smart & Final, 99 Ranch, Grocery Outlet, and Sprouts.
FOOD RECOVERY EVENTS
For decades, we have worked with numerous annual events held in Orange County to recover millions of pounds of dignified food. Our efforts have spanned from neighborhood USPS locations to the halls of Anaheim Convention Center. To learn more or request our large-scale food rescue services, please contact FoodSourcing@FeedOC.org.
FOOD SERVICE OR RESTAURANTS
While we are unable to receive prepared foods at our Distribution Center, you might be able to support our community through Abound Food Care in Santa Ana. Please contact Abound Food Care directly if you have items in restaurant packaging sizes or excess catered food from an event for their organization to redistribute.
FOOD VENDORS
Many everyday pantry basics are seldom donated by the case, no less by the truckload. Therefore, food banks need to routinely buy these items in commercial quantities. If you have competitive or subsidized bids for us to consider in our purchasing plan, please contact FoodSourcing@FeedOC.org.
FOOD SAFETY
With food safety being our #1 priority, Second Harvest staff and community partners are trained in the assessment and handling of food for safe consumption and follow strict guidelines for record keeping, food handling, and distribution. We maintain proper temperature regulation throughout our fleet and storage facilities, including cold storage docking and extensive cooler and freezer space. In addition, we adhere to annual AIB inspections, and our donors are protected from liability by California’s Good Samaritan Law.
SPECIAL THANKS
Thank You From the Bottom of Our Hearts!
Every day thousands of men, women and children look to Second Harvest to provide food for their next meal. Without your donations, we’d have to turn them away. We are so grateful for your generosity as we work to ensure all in Orange County are well fed.
Making a Significant Impact Now
We gratefully recognize the exceptional generosity of donors who have contributed $100,000 or more this fiscal year, making a significant impact on our vision of an Orange County with food and nutritional security for all.
Barbara Jean Cooper Trust
S. Mark Taper Foundation
The Albertsons Companies Foundation
Disneyland Resort (Disney Worldwide Services)
Kia America, Inc.
The Kroger Co. Foundation
Wallace Air Cargo Group, Inc.
Thank You to Our Corporate Partners (FY2024)
Thank You to Our Annual Donors (FY2024)
Thank You to Our Corporate Food Donors (FY2024)
Jill Wilson decided to volunteer with Second Harvest in 2008 when she was in between jobs and looking for a way to apply her talents that could benefit the community. She arrived one day at Second Harvest’s former distribution center in Orange, ready to serve, and felt immediately connected to the mission.
Like Jill and Ian, other friends of the food bank may be looking for ways to connect meaningfully with Second Harvest to help those experiencing hunger in Orange County for years to come. One simple way to make a significant impact, while achieving peace of mind, is by creating a will or revocable living trust with our partner, FreeWill.
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual awareness campaign that encourages us to learn about nutrition, develop healthy eating habits and discover the fun of being physically active. At Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, we strive to provide everyone in Orange County with the nutrition they need to grow and excel in life.
Last spring, here at Second Harvest we completely revamped our focus to proactively purchase fresh nutrition for those in need, ensuring a steady pipeline of protein, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables to our approximately 300 partner and program sites. As a next step, we recently unveiled our new, 6,200-square-foot cold storage facility and two additional cold docks that establish a “cold chain” at our distribution center in Irvine. This gives us a total of 14,550 square feet of cold storage, which greatly enhances our ability to source and distribute more nutritious food.
Second Harvest continues to fight increasing food insecurity through our Pop-Up Drive Thru food distributions with the help of many amazing volunteers and it is no surprise that many of them are mothers. Jacqueline is one such volunteer and I wanted to learn more of her story.
here to volunteer representing other mothers…to give back to the community, to be a role model to my children. As a mother, as a woman, as a friend, as a wife…you have so many hats you have to put on and one of them is giving. When I go home my daughter asks me, “Mom what did you do today?” And I say, “I got to give back to people, people that really don’t have as much as we do.” Hopefully she sees me doing this and then as she gets older, she’ll want to give back just the same way.”
Pantry. Their style traditionally has always been very welcoming and focused on building relationships with those they serve. They would put out coffee and pastries and spend time talking with the families who would come early just to socialize.
One of Nancy’s key volunteers, Mary Kaye, also shared insights. Mary Kaye is an emergency room doctor who has been spending much of her spare time serving at the Saint Timothy pantry. She began volunteering pre-COVID by taking blood pressures on pantry days and translating for Spanish-speaking clients.. All the changes have her missing conversations and connecting with the families they serve.
can take your blood pressure soon,” and encouraging them.”
Whatever the situation that keeps students on campus and struggling to feed themselves, the Fresh Basic Needs Hub at UCI remains open to serve them, supported by food from Second Harvest. Student hunger is a serious challenge, made even worse by the pandemic, but Fresh, as it’s called, has the mission to provide for the basic needs of UCI students, allowing them to focus on academics.
Last week did not feel hopeful. Seeing the injustice of the past few days makes me cringe. It causes me to grieve when I see people treated unfairly or worse. But I’m choosing to move forward with hope. How can I have hope this week? Because I know Andrea and I see how she treats people who sometimes feel trapped. The team at Fresh, and all the other college pantries in Orange County serve as a lifeline for their students, providing for basic needs and offering a dignified experience for everyone who comes to them for help. Their service is a beacon of hope in the darkness.
redirected those emotions toward survival and humility. While it was a very difficult decision, Stephen and Kristina decided that in order to make it through this crisis, they would need to receive assistance the first time in their lives. This is what it means to be newly vulnerable.