The third annual Bay Area Food Drive was a huge success, bringing in hundreds of pounds of food for more than 100 Santa Clara County families who are facing food insecurity this holiday season.
Donation bins were placed in the front lobby of Pacific Clinics’ Campbell, San Jose and Morgan Hill campuses. Employees and several community partners came together to donate non-perishable items, including canned, jarred, boxed and bagged food, as well as culturally specific holiday food.
The Monday before Thanksgiving, families were able to pick up their food donations from the Hank Lopez Center in East San Jose or Pacific Clinics’ Morgan Hill campus, with employees helping to sort and transport donations, as well as check in families upon their arrival and retrieve and hand out bags of food.
A person’s access to healthy food can affect, and be strongly affected by, mental health. A medical study found that food insecurity is associated with a 257% higher risk of anxiety and a 253% higher risk of depression. These stressors often hinder people their ability to overcome their trauma and mental health challenges.
“This year’s food drive and distribution event was a huge success. It is evident the need exists, and I’m so very proud of what we accomplished as a team,” said Bay Region Project Assistant Kaitlin Esaw. “No family should have to worry about whether they can feed their family.”
A special thank you to The Butter Paddle for generously providing 40 pies and assorted canned vegetables, The Salvation Army Family Store for collecting winter clothing for families, CityTeam for partnering with Pacific Clinics to provide much-needed fresh and shelf-stable food, and the Hank Lopez Center for providing a central location perfect for a drive-through food distribution event.
