Overwhelming turnout for special food distribution reflects increased food insecurity

By Nina D, South Bay Food Pantry Volunteer
South Bay Food Pantry volunteers pursue multiple strategies to source free or highly discounted food and other basic necessities for South Bay residents and FUUSD church members who have been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19, inflation, and other economic and health-related hardships.  The generosity of our donors, partnerships with the San Diego Food Bank and Feeding San Diego, and retail food rescue from Con Pane, Barrons, Smart and Final and Food for Less enable us to provide food, diapers and period products to over 300 households each week.

Recently, thanks to the grant-writing of the pantry’s volunteer Food Acquisition coordinator, Sophia, the pantry was named the recipient of a Chula Vista Food Box Grant through the San Diego Food Bank, consisting of 250 boxes of dry goods and 250 boxes of meat and other protein goods.  On Saturday, June 25, we held a special event at 970 Broadway Avenue to distribute the boxes and other goods to the South Bay community.

What a day it was!  While on vacation from her “real” job, Volunteer Coordinator Deirdre worked long hours organizing two distributions for the day and recruiting additional volunteers from the community, the Rotarians, and even the Navy!  Thank goodness for her efforts and for the wonderful new volunteers who jumped in to join our amazing veteran volunteers, because we registered 82 new households, and provided nutritious foods to a record-breaking total of 379 households! 

The scope and logistics of the special distribution tested our all-volunteer group. In addition, the impact of witnessing so many community members in need of food, some waiting in line for hours in the summer heat, was spiritually and emotionally profound.   There are lessons to be learned from what went well, and from what might have gone better.  We will draw upon these lessons as we prepare for future “regular” Saturday and special distributions.  
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