COMMUNITY HELPS UKIAH FOOD BANK
Kick-off donors contribute $15,882 toward $85,000 goal
“What is being exposed here… is that hunger and food insecurity have become a fixture of our society,”— Alison Cohen, a program director at Whyhunger, a New York City-based nonprofit.
According to an article from National Geographic published on Nov. 24, Feeding America, the country’s largest hunger-relief organization, predicts that by the end of the year more than 50 million people could experience food insecurity; that is one in six Americans and one in four children, nearly a 50 percent increase from 2019.
These numbers, projected from the impact of COVID-19, were determined by assuming an annual unemployment rate of 10.5 percent and a poverty rate of 14.4 percent. Many areas that had high food insecurity before the pandemic are now experiencing even greater levels of hunger.
In October, Feeding America’s network of food banks and pantries distributed some 548 million meals, up 52 percent from an average month before the pandemic. In November, with the holidays approaching, it may be more.
People are seeing hunger like they’ve never seen it before and amid a lack of a national fiscal stimulus and spiraling new coronavirus infections, millions of Americans cannot afford to eat.
The pandemic has laid bare how many people, who previously had fairly steady streams of income, are now, all of a sudden, visiting food banks.
In recent years, the annual Ukiah Daily Journal Holiday Fund Drive for the Ukiah Food Bank has raised over $90,000; this year, however, due to the pandemic, by May, the Food
Bank had received an unprecedented amount of unsolicited donations—almost $74,000 from several churches, almost a dozen foundations and associations and over 100 families.
“In initiating our annual Ukiah Daily Journal Food Bank Drive, this must be acknowledged,” says Jacque Williams, executive director of the Ford Street Project, the agency that oversees the operation of the Ukiah Food Bank. “We have to walk softly as we continue to ask for people’s support.”
The local economy has changed; people are being laid off; and businesses that have given in the past are ill- equipped to do so now.
“We’re asking with the understanding that these are tough times and that those who gave earlier in the year and those who usually have given in the past might not be able to do so now.”
The Ukiah Food Bank’s operational costs remain the same and the goal for this year’s UDJ Holiday Fund Drive remains the same—$85,000. Last year’s donations totaled $90,670.
Between July 2019, and February 2020, the Ukiah Food Bank operated at a loss of $52,000. Historically the Food Bank has lost $2$3,000 a month, but Ford Street has covered the budget shortfall by applying revenue generated from their Unity Village housing program and Ukiah Recovery Center SUDT programs.
The windfall of donations received in April and May was used to cover a $10,000 truck repair and to purchase a $2,000 hand washing station and eliminated the need to reduce hours of operation.
“We’ve never raised enough money in the past to fully cover the costs of the Food Bank,” Williams says.
In 2019, they served an average of 1,665 people a month—making arrangements for seniors and those with health risks to have family members or friends collect their weekly boxes— with the numbers remaining stable until June and July when the job loss impact became evident and the numbers of those being provided for reached 1,850 to 1,950 per month.
The Food Bank provided 355 Thanksgiving Holiday baskets to local families this year and with the pandemic continuing to surge, they have been delivering to those in quarantine with the present number at 53.
The Food Bank contracts with Mendocino County Health and Human Resources to deliver free food to those in quarantine who have been identified as being in need. Their reimbursement does not cover staff and transportation.
“It’s an additional demand on us,” Williams says.
With only two staff members, Raquel Bowles and Mike Heath, it took a toll on the small organization when one of them was quarantined for two weeks requiring Ford Street Project’s maintenance man, Pat Willburn, to fill in half-time while still maintaining the property and its 20 apartments at the residential treatment and emergency shelter.
“Since our ranks of volunteers have diminished, his continued help is needed; we would like him to return full time to his previous position and be able to hire another employee at the Food Bank.”
Early on when people were able to give so generously, they were receiving unemployment benefits and stimulus checks from the government, all of which has dried up.
“The human need for food is one of those things we all understand,” says Williams, “especially for the vulnerable, the disabled, our senior citizens, the single moms who’ve had to give up working in order to remain at home with their children.
“Those who are able to give realize this is a critical time; there are people who have no safe haven, no family, no support network, nowhere to turn. That’s why we saw such a gracious outpouring of donations early on; in the midst of everything else, we don’t want people to be hungry.”
With no additional outlay of benefits coming from the government and with so much uncertainty about the ongoing pandemic, it is difficult to plan for the future, exacerbating the entire safety net for those most at risk.
Ukiah Food Bank employees remain optimistic and are grateful for receiving 45,000 pounds of fresh produce a month at a very low cost from The Redwood Empire Food Bank and Feeding America Program; contributions of $700 a month for operating costs from Mendocino County Health and Human Services; volunteers who, in spite of COVID-19, have remained committed; and contributors who continue to provide their generous support.
This year’s Kick Off Donors to the UDJ Holiday Food Bank Fund Drive include: Anonymous, $5,000; Mabel Albertson Foundation, $ 2,500; George & Ruth Bradford Foundation, $2,000; Dr. Stephen & Elizabeth Pasternak, $1,000; Mickey & Barbara Pope, $1,000; Marian Scherf, $1,000; Rachel Nichols, $600; Richard & Colleen Henderson, $500; Joel Levine, $500; JT & Jacqueline Williams, $500; Ukiah Natural Foods, $441; Daniel Hibshman, $150; Steve John, $100; Charles & Janet Pratt, $ 100; Tonia Widler, $100; Anonymous, $80; Karen Rif kin, $75; Rod & Debra Christensen, $50; Elizabeth Crook, $50; Kim Guilfoyle, $50; Rendy Smith, $50; Carol Dotson, $25; Joseph Littlemoon, $11.37 for a grand total of $15,882.37.
Everyone donating to the fund drive will be recognized in the newspaper, unless anonymity is requested.
The goal for this year’s drive is $85,000, and donations can be mailed to or dropped off at the Ukiah Food Bank, 888 N. State St., or mailed to The Ukiah Daily Journal, 617 S. State St., Ukiah, CA 95482. To volunteer, call 462-1934.