Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County is entering it’s most intense two months of the year, in which it encourages and empowers the community to organize the dozens of local food and fund drives throughout the county which together are the Holiday Food & Fund Drive. County business, civic, and community leaders and activists will come together to raise food and funds for this campaign.
The drive is Second Harvest’s biggest of the year, and 100% of the food and funds it raises supports food donations to its network of 200 pantries, soup kitchens, recovery centers, assisted living homes, and food and nutrition programs throughout the county.
This year the goal for the drive is 4.8 million meals, an ambitious target that the drive’s co-chairs — Martina O’Sullivan, engaged citizen and John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources — intend to meet. Though the economy is on an upswing, expensive housing continues to strain people’s budgets. So high numbers of local individuals and families still rely on help from The Food Bank. The holidays are a great time for those of us who are a little more fortunate to come together and help those around us who are most in need.
O’Sullivan said, “As Co-Chairs of the Second Harvest Food Bank Holiday Food & Fund Drive, John Laird and I are thrilled to be a part of this necessary community effort which will ensure 4,800,000 meals will be provided for children, families, and individuals who struggle to keep themselves fed with healthy food in our very own community. Thanks to each and every one of you who participates, rest assured you will be changing the lives of thousands of our Santa Cruz residents.”
For the fifth straight year, Dignity Health — Dominican Hospital and Dignity Health Medical Group — Dominican are Presenting Sponsors of the Holiday Food & Fund Drive.
Information for participating in the Annual Holiday Food & Fund Drive can be accessed at thefoodbank.org/hero.
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Founded in 1972, Second Harvest Food Bank was the first food bank in California and the second in the nation. Its mission is to end hunger and malnutrition by educating and involving the community. Its network of 200 local agencies and programs feeds 55,000 people in Santa Cruz County every month. For every dollar donated, it provides four healthy meals. “Be a Hunger Hero. Let’s Fight Hunger Together.”