The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is marking its 5-year anniversary as a merged organization. The Food Bank has grown to distribute six million pounds of food a year in Marin – three times more than when only one food bank served the county. With the support of the Marin Community Foundation, individual donors, and dozens of Marin community partners, the merger’s varied accomplishments have exceeded expectations.
Paul Ash, Executive Director of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, reflects on its achievements: “There were substantial changes to the economy five years ago, and the need for food assistance in Marin was growing rapidly. We knew that by combining our resources we could do even more to help people who were struggling to put food on the table.
As Thomas Peters, President and CEO of the Marin Community Foundation, says, “All of us at MCF are enormously proud of what this merger has meant to thousands of Marin’s youngsters, families, and seniors. A creative and efficient new system bringing fresh and nutritional food, delivered directly to scores of pantries, all shared with love and respect. What a success story!”
Key Accomplishments
-The Food Bank’s distribution has grown from 2.2 to 6.4 million pounds of food a year in Marin, enough for more than 5 million meals in 2015.
-Through economies of scale and more effective operations, the SF- Marin Food Bank now turns every donated dollar into five dollars’ worth of food.
-The merger has made food more accessible by growing the number of pantries in Marin and increasing their frequency from monthly to weekly. Now the Food Bank operates 47 weekly farmers market-style pantries, up from 18.
-The Fresh Rescue program diverts 7.5 times more food now than it did in 2010, growing to 1.5 million pounds last year. Recovered eggs, meat, dairy, and other nutritionally-dense items are now quickly delivered to Marin pantries.
-The merger has brought simple, healthy recipes and techniques to more than 500 participants in Marin, equipping them with life-long skills to prepare nutritious, affordable meals for themselves and their families.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Seelig, PR Manager, San Francisco-Marin Food Bank
(office) 415-282-1907 x270; (cell) 415-246-9146
mseelig@sfmfoodbank.org
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About the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank
The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank’s mission is to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin, where one in four neighbors is at risk of hunger. We envision a community where everyone is able to obtain enough nutritious food in a dignified manner to support the health and well-being of themselves and their families. We address hunger head on: from our pantry network and home-delivered groceries, to our nutrition-education classes and food-stamp enrollment, we work in many ways to nourish and empower neighbors in need. Every week, 30,000 households count on us for food assistance. Nearly 60 percent of what we distribute is fresh fruits and vegetables. Learn more at www.sfmfoodbank.org.
Media kit: www.sfmfoodbank.org/media-kit
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