First UU Church of San Diego
  • Home
  • Worship
    • Messages
    • Online Worship
    • Participate in a Service
    • Principles & Sources
  • Connections
    • Welcome Newcomers! > >
      • Visiting First UU
      • What is UUism?
      • Become a Member
    • Groups from A-Z > >
      • Affinity Groups
      • Archives
      • Art Guild
      • Christian Study Group
      • Earth Centered Spirituality Circle
      • Looking Glass Theatre
      • Meditation
      • Men's Fellowship
      • Neighborhood Groups
      • UU Seniors
      • Wisdom Circles
    • Member Networking
    • Listening Circles
    • Restorative Process
  • Music
    • Vocal Ensembles
    • Handbell Ensemble
    • Children and Youth Music Program
  • Education
    • Children's RE > >
      • Family Ministry Library
      • Children's RE Registration
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Family Ministry > >
      • All Church Camp
    • Youth Programs
    • Young Adult & Campus Ministry
    • Our Whole Lives (OWL)
    • SD Co-op Preschool
  • Programs
    • Caring
    • Food Pantry
    • Larger UU Connections > >
      • Denominational Relations
      • Friends of De Benneville Pines
      • Philippines Partner Church
      • Transylvania Partner Church
      • UU Service Committee
    • Leadership Development
    • Social Justice > >
      • Social Justice Executive Team
      • Climate Justice
      • Generosity Offerings
      • Organizing for Justice
      • Palestine-Israel Justice Group
      • Rainbow Action
      • Reproductive Justice
      • Sanctuary
      • SOLACE
      • Uptown Community Service Center
    • Ushering
  • Giving
    • Donations > >
      • Pledging
      • Planned Giving
      • Donate Your Vehicle
      • Donate Flowers
    • Dining for Dollars D4$
    • B&B Program > >
      • B&B Guest Registration
      • B&B Hosting > >
        • B&B Host Application
    • Specialty Sale
    • Shop and Support!
  • News
    • Blog
    • The Window - Weekly Bulletin
    • First Words Magazine
  • About
    • For Members > >
      • Member's Login
      • Board Login
    • Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Calendar
    • Front Street Productions
    • 150th Celebration
    • Facilities > >
      • Campus Maps
      • Ceremonies
      • Hillcrest Campus
      • South Bay Campus
      • Facilities Use Request Form
    • Forms
    • Governance > >
      • Article II
      • 8th Principle
      • Journey Toward Wholeness >
        • Black History Month
      • Reopening Team
      • Strategic Planning > >
        • Funding our Future
        • Visioning The Future
    • Our History
  • Contact
    • Ministers and Staff
    • Website Update Form
    • MAG Contact Form
    • Privacy and Terms

BLOG

South Bay Food Pantry Nears First Year Anniversary after Distributing over 100,000 Pounds of Food

12/2/2020

1 Comment

 
By Maureen McNair
Dear Members and Friends,
One day last December, while food pantry volunteers were working outside our South Bay campus, a homeless woman pushing a shopping cart cut through the parking lot and asked us when we were going to open. 
Donate to the Food Pantry
Under gift designation, select "SB food pantry".
We only had a few cans of food on hand and told her we had no opening plans yet. But, we offered to give her food. We gave her several cans of food with pop tops. She turned out to be the first client at our South Bay Food Pantry.
Not quite a year has passed, but since then, the pantry has distributed over 100,000 pounds of nutritious food and built a roster of over 800 clients. Over 40 church members as well as new faces from the wider community serve as volunteers. Together, we have built our food distribution program during widespread food shortages and in the regional epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, since last May when it was clearer that the pandemic was taking a long-term hold, the pantry started storing food in the the South Bay worship space and social hall. We have out-grown our original closet! 
 
Today, the food pantry serves very few people experiencing homelessness. The vast majority of our pantry guests are heads of households, many households with several adults and children. When we first opened, our only sources of food were church food drives and food we purchased at retail grocery stores with your donations. Since our opening, the food pantry has been accepted as a partner with both of the region's major food banks where we are able to obtain food at prices far below retail costs. 
 
Our South Bay Food Pantry is also now a resource with 211, the San Diego County emergency resource center. We expanded our partnerships, and distribute free diapers every week on behalf of the Regional Diaper Bank. We also partner with Rady’s Health Stars program whose volunteers distribute free books in English and Spanish during our food and diaper distributions. 
 
Our congregation has been very generous in sustaining the South Bay Food Pantry. If you make a donation to the South Bay Food Pantry this December, we will send you a link for a downloadable copy of our very first “South Bay Food Pantry Cookbook: The Best of 2020.”
 
Right now, I do not know how much food the South Bay Food Pantry will be able to source beginning January 1. Food banks (which distribute food to pantries) from across the country have been able to address the increased need for food with funds from the federal CARES Act. The CARES Act expires Dec. 31, and Congress has not yet renewed it. If we are able to source food at current levels, we can easily distribute 200,000 pounds of food into the community in the coming year. Please watch for articles in our weekly bulletin, “The Window,” for updates on how the South Bay Food Pantry is doing!
 
Thank you all for your interest in the South Bay Food Pantry and for your generosity. And, through whatever challenges you face, may you find moments of joy and gratitude.
 
Take good care, Maureen McNair, South Bay Food Pantry 
1 Comment
Iris
12/19/2020 07:18:29 pm

Do you happen to have the Cook book that was distributed at today’s pantry some where on your website? I lost my copy somewhere between the car and my apt and I’m just kicking myself over it. Really wanted to try some recipes out tonite. Thank your

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    What's New?

    The First UU Church of San Diego blog is your resource for upcoming events and past event recaps. Leave us a comment to let us know what you think!

    Categories

    All
    150th Celebration
    Aging
    Announcements
    Black Lives Matter
    Board Of Trustees
    Camp De Benneville Pines
    Careers
    Climate Change
    Climate Justice
    COVID Caring
    Democracy In Action
    Dining For Dollar$
    Events
    First UU History
    First Words Stories
    Food Pantry
    Free Family Friendly Events
    Front Street Productions
    General Assembly
    Gun Violence
    Holiday Events
    Holiday Greetings
    Immigrants Rights
    Intercultural Workshops
    International Women's Day
    Journey Towards Wholeness
    JTW
    Kids Activities
    LGBTQIA
    Marriage Equality
    Meditation Mondays
    Meet A Volunteer
    Minister Letters
    On The Side Of Love
    Pledge Drive
    Press Releases
    Racial Justice
    Religious Education
    Reopening Team
    Rev. Alix Klingenberg
    Rev. Carolyn Owen-Towle
    Rev. Everett Howe
    Rev. Ian Riddell
    Rev. Jennifer Channin
    Rev. Justine Sullivan
    Rev. Kathleen Owens
    Rev. Omega Burckhardt
    Rev. Tania Marquez
    Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
    Sabbatical Notes
    Sanctuary
    Social Justice Actions
    South Bay Campus
    Staying Connected
    Stevie Carmody
    Unitarian Universalism 101
    UU Parenting
    UUs In Action
    UU Women
    Visioning The Future
    Volunteer Opportunities

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    April 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    October 2014
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    March 2011
    October 2010
    June 2002

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
(619) 298-9978  |  Staff Directory
Hillcrest campus 4190 Front Street, San Diego, CA. 92103  |  South Bay campus 970 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA. 91911
  For GPS to our Hillcrest Campus, please use 298 W Arbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92103
For directions, parking and more see our Contact page.
Picture
©2004-2019 First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego. All rights reserved. Admin.
  • Home
  • Worship
    • Messages
    • Online Worship
    • Participate in a Service
    • Principles & Sources
  • Connections
    • Welcome Newcomers! > >
      • Visiting First UU
      • What is UUism?
      • Become a Member
    • Groups from A-Z > >
      • Affinity Groups
      • Archives
      • Art Guild
      • Christian Study Group
      • Earth Centered Spirituality Circle
      • Looking Glass Theatre
      • Meditation
      • Men's Fellowship
      • Neighborhood Groups
      • UU Seniors
      • Wisdom Circles
    • Member Networking
    • Listening Circles
    • Restorative Process
  • Music
    • Vocal Ensembles
    • Handbell Ensemble
    • Children and Youth Music Program
  • Education
    • Children's RE > >
      • Family Ministry Library
      • Children's RE Registration
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Family Ministry > >
      • All Church Camp
    • Youth Programs
    • Young Adult & Campus Ministry
    • Our Whole Lives (OWL)
    • SD Co-op Preschool
  • Programs
    • Caring
    • Food Pantry
    • Larger UU Connections > >
      • Denominational Relations
      • Friends of De Benneville Pines
      • Philippines Partner Church
      • Transylvania Partner Church
      • UU Service Committee
    • Leadership Development
    • Social Justice > >
      • Social Justice Executive Team
      • Climate Justice
      • Generosity Offerings
      • Organizing for Justice
      • Palestine-Israel Justice Group
      • Rainbow Action
      • Reproductive Justice
      • Sanctuary
      • SOLACE
      • Uptown Community Service Center
    • Ushering
  • Giving
    • Donations > >
      • Pledging
      • Planned Giving
      • Donate Your Vehicle
      • Donate Flowers
    • Dining for Dollars D4$
    • B&B Program > >
      • B&B Guest Registration
      • B&B Hosting > >
        • B&B Host Application
    • Specialty Sale
    • Shop and Support!
  • News
    • Blog
    • The Window - Weekly Bulletin
    • First Words Magazine
  • About
    • For Members > >
      • Member's Login
      • Board Login
    • Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Calendar
    • Front Street Productions
    • 150th Celebration
    • Facilities > >
      • Campus Maps
      • Ceremonies
      • Hillcrest Campus
      • South Bay Campus
      • Facilities Use Request Form
    • Forms
    • Governance > >
      • Article II
      • 8th Principle
      • Journey Toward Wholeness >
        • Black History Month
      • Reopening Team
      • Strategic Planning > >
        • Funding our Future
        • Visioning The Future
    • Our History
  • Contact
    • Ministers and Staff
    • Website Update Form
    • MAG Contact Form
    • Privacy and Terms