Bay Area food bank still feeding Camp Fire survivors
Organization provided more than 2.5M pounds of food to survivors in 2019
FAIRFIELD >> More than a year after the deadliest fire in California’s history, the Contra Costa and Solano County Food Bank is still regularly helping local food banks and survivors affected by the blaze, organizers say, and plans to continue the resource-heavy effort as long as there is a need.
The Contra Costa and Solano County Food Bank, which serves roughly 1 in 9 residents in both counties, has an agreement to assist Northern California food banks after a natural disaster through its membership with Feeding America, a national network of food banks. It began helping North County food banks shortly after the Camp Fire tore through Butte County in November 2018, killing 85 people and destroying thousands of homes, businesses and buildings.
The food bank provided over 2.5 million pounds of food to Camp Fire survivors last year and distributed more than 1.3 million pounds of food in Butte County in 2018, according to communications director Lisa Sherrill. It now provides food for three distri
butions each month — typically serving 200 to 300 people — and plans to continue as long as resources-trapped food banks and survivors need help.
“Most people are amazed that the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is still up in this area,” says Lisa Roehling, who oversees the food bank’s distributions to Camp Fire survivors in Butte County. The food provides a financial cushion for many clients dealing with unexpected bills after the fire, such as housing, clothing, medical expenses or the cost of rebuilding, Roehling said.
“If people can go to a pantry or to us to get a few staples, that means they can put gas in their car or can pay their doctor bill,” Roehling said. “We’re helping stretch the dollar.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget asked for $28 million for the state’s food banks, including a $20 million investment in one-time funding for California’s emergency food assistance program and to offset the impact of the loss of food stamps due to looming federal cuts.
Andrew Cheyne, director of government affairs for the California Association of Food Banks, said that’s a substantial increase from previous years, but does not include funding for disaster response and preparedness efforts — a key investment for food banks like Contra Costa and Solano tasked with providing extra resources to communities affected by natural disasters. The California Association of Food Banks is asking for $32 million to support food banks disaster preparedness and response efforts.
“The past several years have shown that this is the new normal in California,” said Cheyne. “The unfortunate reality is food banks are not only there trying to serve communities in their moments of crisis, but they are there for the long haul.”