SAN DIEGO — CBS 8 is once again proud to partner with the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank to help kids and families in need.
The Food Bank is seeing sustained demand for food assistance due to the lasting impacts of the pandemic and inflation at a 41-year high. Many families served by the food bank acquired high household debt over the course of the pandemic to make ends meet. Coupled with this high household debt, families are struggling with the skyrocketing costs of gas, rent, food and utilities due to soaring inflation making it hard for families to get back on their feet.
Tens of thousands of children living in poverty across the county rely on free school meals Monday through Friday, but during summer vacation, children living in poverty stop receiving free meals at school and face hunger at home. Often their parents work in low-wage jobs or they are unemployed, and over the summer months these families are forced to turn to the Food Bank to help feed their children. At the same time, donations to the Food Bank drop dramatically when need from the community is greatest.
The Food Bank's summer food drive is an annual food drive that was started in 2009 to address the problem of child hunger over the summer months. This year's campaign ran throughout the month of May and helped stock the Food Bank's shelves ahead of the summer months so that the Food Bank can feed the tens of thousands of children living in poverty who face hunger at home when free school meals are unavailable.
With the community's support, this year's Nourishing Neighbors Summer Food Drive raised vital food donations and funds to feed children and families facing food insecurity in communities throughout San Diego County. Below are ways the community can support the summer food drive:
- Make a Monetary Gift at Checkout -- Albertsons and Vons shoppers are invited to make a monetary donation at checkout. Every San Diego County Albertsons and Vons location is participating in our summer food drive campaign. For every $1 donated, the Food Bank can provide 2 meals to our neighbors in need.
- Donate in the Red Food Drive Barrels -- Shoppers can donate nonperishable food items to help stock the Food Bank's warehouse shelves in the Food Bank's famous red food drive barrels located at the front of the store.
- Donate Securely Online -- Supporters are welcome to donate securely online. For every $1 donated, the Food Bank can provide 2 meals to families in need.
Not sure what to donate? Here is a list of the Food Bank's most needed food items: canned meats, canned fish, canned vegetables, canned fruits, canned soups & stews, peanut butter, cereal, and oatmeal.
Last year, the Nourishing Neighbors campaign generated more than 1.5 million meals to help local school-aged children get the nourishment they need to thrive in the classroom!
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