HAVING FAITH IN SERVING VALLEJO
Faith Food Fridays food pantry has experienced increase in customers, decreasing in donations
Mary Ann Buggs and husband Ben are determined to feed Vallejo, making Faith Food Fridays a staple for the community for over a dozen years, serving 200-300 families a week.
That process, however, is becoming more difficult.
With inflation wreaking havoc on food prices and the economy, the demand for products has only risen. Faith Food Fridays is experiencing a 150— 200 percent increase in customers and overhead costs, while donations have greatly decreased.
Faith Food Fridays is a part of the Feeding America program, which allows the pantry to engage in a process called grocery recovery. This process allows food pantries to receive food from local grocery stores.
However, the food is always at the store's discretion. With the rising upcharge of eggs, grocery stores have reduced the amount given to pantries.
In addition to rising food costs, the end of the pandemic means California SNAP program no longer provides additional funds.
“I have no idea what the future looks like, but I recently applied for grants to make us more efficient,” said Mary Ann Buggs. “We can serve more people if we have more of the right mechanisms, equipment and processes. I don't know what's going to happen in the future. I'm concerned.”
Three-quarters of Faith Food Fridays' volunteers were elderly and decided to resign during the pandemic. Faith Food Fridays could operate at maximum efficiency with 15-20 volunteers — it currently has 10 daily workers.
The pantry is open seven days a week for volunteering: Cleaning, bagging, replenishing and carrying food out to customers. Volunteers are not required to give more time than they can afford.
Faith Food Fridays has partnered with Grocery Outlet, which Buggs says has been “great friends and partners” on numerous occasions.
“They've helped us do a fundraiser over the summer,” she said. “They're very community oriented. That's the example ev
ery corporation should follow. Because that's what it's all about. We're all here to help each other.”
“(From corporations) we need both monetary supplies, paying for our overhead: Lights, the refrigerator, freezers we have in here, janitorial work, cleaning, sanitizing, those types of things that cost money and getting the word out,” Buggs continued.
“Some corporations say their employees want to come and help. And then they never show up because it's time and people are busy. People don't really understand the tremendous need for the community for the work that we do. And so many other people do. It takes an army to feed and help all the people who need help in Vallejo alone.”
Buggs says there are plenty of ways corporations can help.
“Corporations can help by providing monetary donations and also food,” she said. “Now every time we have a distribution, we completely run out of food. We don't have to turn anyone away, but maybe the last two or three people get half a box of food.”
Buggs says although it feels “amazing” when all the food from a shipment is depleted, it is still a “work of faith.”
Buggs has spent her time tirelessly applying for grants for the food pantry's efficiency and awareness of the pantry. She said she hopes the awareness can spark community generosity and someday end hunger.
“That's the thing about faith. Something will turn around. I think just raising a level of awareness in everybody. Although someone may have shelter and food in your pantry, there are many, many people who don't,” said Buggs.