Author: Heather Rudow

Finding Nourishment and Community at El Colibrí Community Market

October 17, 2025

For Veronica, finding help has often meant navigating a maze of complicated systems without much support to guide her through.

When her daughter was diagnosed with cancer in 2021, those challenges deepened. After her daughter’s remission in 2023, the family left the hospital without work or housing. Soon after, Veronica was diagnosed with breast cancer. The gaps in the safety net became even clearer when even putting food on the table was no longer certain.

“I tried applying for CalFresh and was told my household income was too high, even though my husband is underemployed and I’m unemployed,” she said.

With so many needs and so few options, it was hard to know where to turn.

But then Veronica and her family got connected to the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank’s pantry at La Raza Community Resource Center, now known as Mercado El Colibrí. It became a steady source of stability for her family, a place where they could count on fresh groceries and friendly faces during difficult times.

“My daughter loves fruit — we almost always get lots of fruits and vegetables,” she said. “With the food I get from El Colibrí, I make her pan con pollo, a traditional dish from El Salvador.”

El Colibrí is one of the Food Bank’s new Community Markets, created with trusted partners like La Raza to make access to nutritious food easier and more dignified ,and facilitate connections to vital social services. This partnership helps ensure families like Veronica’s can find healthy food and a welcoming space whenever they need it most.

“I like being here,” she said. “It helps me socialize, make friends, and relax.”

Where Food and Connection Meet

Community Markets are reimagining what it means to access food with dignity. These welcoming, grocery store–style spaces make it easier for people to get the food they want and need, when it works for them. Open multiple days each week with flexible hours, each market offers fresh produce, groceries, and culturally relevant foods. Importantly, these community-centered environments couple access to healthy food with direct connections and referrals to vital immigration and social services. 

Lucia Ruiz, Senior Program Manager at the Food Bank, said Community Markets mark an important shift in how the Food Bank approaches ending hunger. “The model is more flexible and participant-centered,” she said. “It provides dignity and convenience by offering food alongside service navigation and referrals. When we talk about addressing the root causes of hunger, we have to think about how to lift people out of poverty. Combining food access with supportive resources helps make that possible.”

Eight Community Markets are planned to open over the next year, some operated by the Food Bank and the majority operated directly by our community partners. The first partner-led Community Market to open is La Raza’s El Colibrí in the Mission District. To mark its official expansion to multiple days of service  — increasing its capacity to serve more families — and the market’s integration of critical services directly available for participants, La Raza held a ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome all to Mercado El Colibrí. 

“With our new community market, we plan to serve up to 1,000 families weekly to provide healthy food and help them get the vital wraparound services they need, and all in one place” said La Raza Community Resource Center Executive Director Gabriel Medina. “Once our food seekers are here, not only are they given more choice, all of our food seekers can connect to services like immigration, both affirmative and defensive, citizenship naturalization, women’s support groups, diaper bank, case management. It’s a concept our families sorely need more of.”

The event included remarks from community members and the Food Bank. “We are grateful to partner with La Raza Community Resource Center,” said Noriko Lim-Tepper, Chief Officer for Strategic Partnerships, Advocacy & Voice. “We celebrate La Raza’s Mercado El Colibrí as not only a resource providing access to healthy food but a center for vital services for our community.”

Essential to the vital resources available at Mercado El Colibrí is the concept of community, which is a foundation for Veronica. What began as a source of help during an especially dark time has become a place of belonging and where she now volunteers every week, welcoming others with the same warmth she found there.

“When you are treated with respect, you feel welcomed,” she said. “Everyone deserves that.”

Celebrating Policy Wins for Ending Hunger

October 16, 2025

At the Food Bank, we believe food is a human right. Recent policy wins at the state level are helping move us closer to a future where everyone in California can count on consistent access to healthy food and a stronger safety net. 

This year, several of the anti-hunger initiatives we supported were signed into law thanks to  Governor Gavin Newsom and the advocacy of our partners across the state. Together, we’re making meaningful progress toward ending hunger in California. 

These accomplishments reflect the tireless efforts of our Policy & Advocacy team, who work alongside lawmakers and community advocates to make sure the voices of those most impacted by hunger are heard — and that policies reflect the real needs of our neighbors. 

We’re especially grateful to our legislative partners, statewide advocates, and members of our Food Policy and Advocacy Community Council (Food PACC), whose lived experience and leadership help guide our work every step of the way. 

During the budget and bill process, we successfully advanced the following initiatives with the governor’s signature: 

  • Food Insecurity Officer (AB 119): Requires the California Department of Social Services to develop new methods for estimating CalFresh and CFAP participation rates and identifying Californians eligible for benefits by 2026. The department will submit a legislative report with policy and budget recommendations to reduce food insecurity and improve enrollment in food and nutrition programs. 
  • CalFood Funding: Secures $60 million for FY 25-26 to sustain the program, plus an additional $20 million to continue providing California-grown food to food banks statewide. 
  • California Nutrition Incentives Program (CNIP): Provides $35 million for FY 25-26 to sustain Market Match, helping families stretch their food budgets while supporting local farmers. Through Market Match, CalFresh users get a dollar-for-dollar match at participating farmers markets. 
  • Food4All: Continues the plan to expand the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) for older adults, regardless of immigration status, by October 2027. 
  •  School Meals for All: Adds $90.7 million in FY 25-26 funding for the program and $160 million for kitchen upgrades in schools across the state. 
  • SUN Bucks: Provides $40 million for FY 25-26 to support implementation of this summer nutrition benefit program. 
  • CalFresh Semiannual Reporting Workgroup: Convenes a group including county welfare directors, eligibility workers, the Statewide Automated Welfare System, and client advocates to explore changes that will reduce the reporting burden on CalFresh recipients and streamline the process for counties. 
  • Pupil Nutrition: Ensures continued, adequate funding to strengthen student nutrition programs, including school breakfast and lunch. 
  • College Student Awareness of Public Benefits: improves coordination between county-level higher-education liaisons and college students so more students can access food and other public resources. 

With every win, we’re reminded that ending hunger takes all of us — community members, lawmakers, and neighbors — working together to address the root causes of hunger and ensure everyone has access to the food they need to live healthy, full lives. 

Chris on Doubling His Impact Through Workplace Giving

October 9, 2025

When the pandemic hit, Chris and his wife, Stephanie, could not stop thinking about their neighbors. How would people get by when so much of daily life had been upended, suddenly struggling to make ends meet? 

“In the early days of the pandemic, our first thought was that there will be many people in our community who might not be able to meet their most basic needs and certainly food is one of those,” Chris said. “We wanted our support to reach people quickly and reliably, and the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank was the best way to do that.” 

That reliability mattered because Chris knew one thing for certain: without food, nothing else is possible. “It’s foundational,” he said. “When people know they’ll eat, everything else — school, work, caring for yourself and your family — gets easier. Investing in food is investing in dignity and opportunity. We all live in this community together and collectively we have a vested interest in the strength of its members.” 

Why Food Security Matters 

Chris knows from personal experience that food insecurity puts tremendous strain on families. “There were times in my life as a child where our family just barely had enough for the basics,” he shared. “It puts a tremendous amount of stress on the family.” 

Seeing the Food Bank step up during the pandemic, along with his own memories of growing up, convinced Chris to donate regularly. He was also drawn to the Food Bank’s ability to make gifts go further, turning every dollar into enough food for two meals. 

On top of that, Chris discovered he could stretch his donations even further through his employer’s matching gift program. “Most large employers offer matching gifts for charitable donations,” Chris said. “In my case the company was good at informing employees of our giving options, including matching gifts. The process was simple, I submitted an online request with proof of my donation and within a few weeks, a matching gift was processed.” 

That simple step made a big difference. “It’s the simplest multiplier I know,” Chris said. “Taking the time to fill out a form turns one gift into two. In the case of the Food Bank, that translates directly into more groceries for more people right away.” 

Encouraging Others to Act 

Chris hopes more people will take advantage of workplace giving, because he has seen how much it can multiply the impact of a single gift. A few minutes spent submitting a form to your employer can mean twice as many meals for a neighbor in need. 

 “It all helps,” he said. “What you may consider small may be the difference between a child, a senior, or any person having something to eat in a day or nothing at all. We live in a community that’s blessed with large amounts of resources, but it’s important to remember that not everyone has access to the same benefits, and they can use your help. Give to what you care about. For us, it’s food security because it impacts a most basic human need.” 

What a Monthly Food Box Means for Two Friends in the Tenderloin

September 29, 2025

Groceries or Medicine? 

For many seniors on fixed incomes, every month is weighed down by tough decisions: pay for groceries or fill a prescription; cover rent or keep the lights on? 

And, for the older adults living in the Tenderloin, there are additional hurdles to accessing — and even preparing — healthy food. Not only are there no full-service grocery stores in the entire neighborhood, many live in single-room occupancies without kitchens. 

That’s why the Food Bank’s Supplemental Food Program (SFP) is a lifeline for hundreds of neighbors in the area. The program provides monthly boxes of staples like rice, pasta, and canned goods, giving people 60 and older a reliable source of food to help make their limited budgets last. 

A Lifeline for Seniors 

Every month, neighbors like Ms. Mui and Ms. Luo bring their rolling carts to the SFP distribution site on the Golden Gate Greenway, a block of Golden Gate Avenue that St. Anthony Foundation transformed into a pedestrian space, to pick up the groceries that help carry them through the weeks to come. 

“We depend on SFP,” said Ms. Mui. “As seniors, we don’t make money, and receiving these food boxes helps a lot. Losing access to programs like this would be concerning.” 

Ms. Luo agreed, adding how she has to stretch her income further than ever before. 

“I only get $50 a month from CalFresh now,” said Ms. Luo. “I’m forced to be very conservative with how I spend. It does mean eating less. Retirement funds don’t go very far after rent is paid, so help with groceries makes a big difference.” 

A New Home on the Greenway 

The two friends have been receiving SFP boxes for the past three years but only began coming to the Greenway early last year. That’s when the Food Bank partnered with St. Anthony’s to open this new SFP site, launched in response to Pop-Up Pantries closing and in anticipation of more people struggling to find regular access to groceries. 

From day one, Food Bank staff saw how important this site was. 

“Our first distribution at the Greenway brought over 550 people,” said Lena Yu, SFP Program Manager for the Food Bank. “Others had stopped coming during the pandemic and were so relieved to reconnect.” 

She notes that shelf stable food, in particular, is vital for this demographic. 

“For those who aren’t cooking regularly, it’s important to have food they can count on throughout the month,” Lena said. “When you’re on a fixed income, having something in the pantry makes a big difference.”  

Powered by Partnership 

Partnership is what makes the Greenway distribution possible. The Food Bank provides the groceries, while St. Anthony’s provides the space, lush and welcoming with trees, benches, and parklets. In the Tenderloin, where there are only 9.1 acres of green space, among the lowest in the city, the Greenway gives neighbors a rare chance to enjoy greenery and community in the middle of San Francisco. 

Veronica Surrette-Fahey, Marketing Communications Manager at St. Anthony Foundation, explained, “We saw the Greenway as an opportunity to bring greenery to the Tenderloin. Many of our senior neighbors are living alone in single-room occupancies. They come to the Greenway for that sense of community.” 

 That collaborative and visionary spirit is why the Food Bank partnered with St. Anthony’s to bring this SFP site to the Greenway. 

“The partnership with St. Anthony’s has been amazing,” said Lena Yu, SFP Program Manager. “It’s such a marginalized community, and many people don’t realize how many seniors live here. For anyone on a fixed income, this program is so important.” 

Fresh Start, Fresh Food: John’s Story

September 22, 2025

Earlier this year, John moved from Kenya to San Francisco to be closer to his daughter and her two children after his wife passed away. John now lives in the bustling Western Addition neighborhood, navigating a new country, a new community, and a new way of life. 

One of the first ways he made himself at home was through classes at the Buchanan YMCA, including Tai Chi (which he’s very fond of), and other programs specifically for seniors in the area. Through these classes, he learned about the soon-to-open Western Addition Family Resource Center food pantry, a collaboration of the Buchanan YMCA, Urban Services YMCA, and the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank. 

With no income of his own and the high cost of living in San Francisco, John was looking for ways to ease the pressure on his family’s budget. Visiting the pantry for the first time in January was, as he put it, eye-opening. Each week since, he’s brought home fresh vegetables, tofu, cheese, and other staples that his daughter prepares into meals for the household. “The bills, the cost of living — it goes down.” he says. 

The timing couldn’t be more critical. Since the pantry opened in late January, the neighborhood’s only grocery store has closed, reducing nearby options for fresh, healthy food. This is especially hard on seniors like John, who face challenges traveling long distances. 

To help meet that need, YMCA and the Food Bank created a pantry that not only provides nutritious food but reflects the diverse cultural traditions of the community. That commitment to culturally relevant food makes a difference for families like John’s. 

 Whether facing mobility challenges, high costs, or simply not knowing where to turn, neighbors now have a welcoming place to find the food they need and connect with others. For John, it means fresh vegetables and pantry staples that his daughter can cook into meals, and the chance to stay active and connected through YMCA classes as he settles into a new chapter of life. 

At Webster-Eddy Pantry, Neighbors Feed Neighbors

September 18, 2025

Katie, who leads the Webster-Eddy Pantry, on opening day

On the Webster-Eddy food pantry’s opening morning, Japantown was cool and foggy, typical for San Francisco summer. Neighbors lined up along the chain link fence, eager to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables within walking distance of their homes. San Francisco-Marin Food Bank volunteers buzzed with first-day jitters, but operations ran smoothly under lead volunteer Katie’s steady hand. 

She kept her cool through the bustle, checking in with Food Bank staff to confirm registration was ready and guiding volunteers on where unboxed produce should go. Katie even found time to set up a hand-lettered sign with the pantry’s name, a small touch that made the site feel welcoming from the start. 

Her commitment to helping her community started long before that morning.  

As a child, Katie’s mom encouraged her and her siblings to volunteer at their hometown food bank, planting the seed for a lifelong passion for giving back. About five years after moving to San Francisco, she felt compelled to spring into action again during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Food Bank launched Pop-Up Pantries across the city in response to surging need. 

Those early days, she remembers, were hectic but vital for her neighbors. “It was busy, but it was really great,” Katie says. “A lot of people were getting access to food who hadn’t had it before.” 

When Katie learned that Pop-Up Pantries would be closing due to funding cuts, she and her fellow volunteers worried about where their neighbors would turn for food. Instead of walking away, they decided to act. 

“We were disappointed and just asked, ‘Hey, what would it take to keep this going?’” she recalls. 

With the Food Bank’s guidance and a church partner providing space, Katie helped lead the effort to create a permanent food pantry. 

“Food is a basic need,” she says. “Everyone should have access to food. It’s important to me to be able to support that.” 

While she’s grateful to be able to meet the urgent need she sees now, she’s also thinking about the future: Congress voted to slash $186 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade, and the weight of those cuts is already being felt. 

“I think the one that’s really tough for me to understand is cutting food access,” Katie says. “Most people, if you talk to them, would say they support people having access to food. The thing that’s unfortunate is seeing politics hamper that. A lot of people don’t understand that cutting dollars to food banks means people will not be eating. This isn’t just stuff happening in Washington, D.C. These are decisions affecting my town, my city, my block, my neighbors.” 

Despite her frustration, Katie remains hopeful. She believes her neighbors want to help, and that once they move past the fear of committing to something, they’ll feel proud of their impact. She also sees group volunteer opportunities, like those at the Food Bank, as a way to ease the pressure. 

“If you know you won’t be alone, it’s a lot less scary,” she says. “And what’s the worst that can happen? Even if it doesn’t go perfectly, you’ve still helped more people than if you did nothing.” 

 That belief is one of the many reasons Katie keeps showing up without fail.  

“Honestly, it’s been a huge help for my mental health to feel like I am part of something,” she says. “And the Food Bank’s support has made it all possible. I’m running this site, but I couldn’t do it without them. They’re the ones making sure the food is here every week.” 

At Bolinas Inc., Everyone is Welcome

September 9, 2025

When people think about seaside towns in Marin County, they often conjure up visions of luxury. But nestled just below the Point Reyes National Seashore is the tight-knit town of Bolinas, where the reality is quite different. 

“People think that Marin is very wealthy, and certainly there are really wealthy parts of Marin,” says Kathleen O’Neill, the lead volunteer coordinator for the Bolinas Community Inc. food pantry. “But Bolinas has a lot of elderly residents and a lot of poor people. Our town is considered a poverty town.” 

Bolinas is home to older adults living on fixed incomes, working-class families juggling high costs, and longtime residents navigating impossible choices between food, rent, and other necessities. The poverty rate here is 12.76 percent — higher than the 11 percent national average. So, in a town of just 1,200 people, that means everyone knows someone who’s food insecure. And that means many of the same people who volunteer — and even work — at the Bolinas Community Inc. food pantry also rely on it themselves. Kathleen is one of them. 

“Feeding people is important,” she says. “I think the world is better when people are fed. And I needed food myself. I’m retired and living on Social Security, so having this [pantry] makes a huge, huge difference.” 

The steady supply of food is what makes the 13-year partnership between the Bolinas Community Inc. food pantry and the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank essential. More than 200 people come through the pantry each Thursday, relying on the shelf-stable staples and fresh produce. And for many, the chance to connect is just as much of a lifeline. 

“All the elders line up together,” says Kate Ryan Ross, general manager of the Bolinas Community Center, where the pantry is hosted. “It’s their [time] once a week they get to talk. It’s like sitting around in a coffee shop, but it’s the food bank every week.” 

Randi Arnold, executive director of the Bolinas Community Center, says the partnership with the Food Bank changed everything. Before, volunteers collected whatever extra food they could find from local stores, and that was the extent of what they could offer. 

“When this partnership began, we were astounded,” Randi says. “We get anywhere from 4,000 to 8,000 pounds of food [each month].” 

Thanks to the Food Bank’s support, the pantry stocks fresh produce, culturally meaningful foods and shelf-stable staples that help families stay nourished all week. That’s no small feat in a town like Bolinas, which has just two small markets — both expensive — and no full grocery store. The nearest affordable option is at least 15 miles away, and gas to get there isn’t cheap. 

Kate says her own family has depended on the pantry since it began. “Now that my parents are both retired, they need it even more,” she says. 

Produce from the pantry was especially important for Kate during her pregnancy, when meeting prenatal health needs was critical for both her and her baby. “I could get what I needed here, and then fill in the rest at the market,” she said. 

For Alfonz, a longtime participant managing serious health conditions, the pantry is essential to his stability. “I used to go in every day to the emergency room because something went wrong every day,” he recalls. But now that he’s able to eat the healthy food he needs to manage his symptoms, his quality of life has improved. 

It means regular access to fresh, nutritious food. “Chicken, turkey, fish with omega-3s, organic fruit. Turkey’s my favorite,” he says. ‘This place is great because you can pick and choose,” he says. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t eat. Food’s so expensive.” 

And it’s only gotten harder. 

“Since COVID I see people come through our pantry now that never came before,” Randi says. “I have a lot of people that come [and say], ‘Well, no, I’d rather have people who need it.’ And I tell them, everybody needs to eat.” 

That sense of welcome is intentional. 

“Randi and Kathleen have their finger on the pulse and go above and beyond to make sure participants not only receive service with dignity, but they also feel safe,” says Marisol Ramirez, the Food Bank’s neighborhood representative for West Marin. 

Marisol recounted how, when the pantry’s bilingual “All Are Welcome” sign started to fade, Randi and Kathleen were quick to ask for a new one to make sure immigrant families knew they had every right to come and get food, regardless of their documentation status. That simple request ended up prompting the Food Bank to print a whole new round of signs for partner sites across the region. 

People don’t always see the full picture of life in Marin. But Kate, who grew up in Bolinas, wants people to understand who is often left out. 

“Yes, Marin has a very high population of rich people,” she continues, “but there’s also those of us that clean those houses, do the landscaping, the childcare. We go to the same high school… but we are the ones managing those places, doing their laundry and their housekeeping.” 

Despite doing all this work, the reality is many still can’t make ends meet in Bolinas, Kate observed. “We need this extra food.” The Food Bank is proud to partner with the Bolinas Inc. pantry, helping to put nutritious food on the table so families here can thrive.  

Still Going Strong at 95: Meet Angelo

September 5, 2025

It’s early Friday morning, and the weather is gray. Wind and fog roll off the San Francisco Bay and settle over the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank’s warehouse in San Rafael. But inside, the well-oiled machine of regular volunteers — packing, sorting, and distributing produce and groceries for neighbors in need, laughing and joking to upbeat music — radiates warmth. This team has been working together since the early days of COVID, showing up week after week to help those who need it. A crucial member of the team is Angelo Siracusa, known for his hard work and friendly, jovial spirit.  

Angelo greets everyone by name, shares hugs and jokes, lifts heavy boxes of cauliflower over his head, and slices open cartons of potatoes with ease. You wouldn’t guess it, but he recently turned 95. His fellow volunteers brought him cake and the hat he’s wearing today, which reads, “Vintage 1930.”  

“Everybody here knows Angelo,” says Randy Rollman, Senior Warehouse Volunteer Coordinator for the Food Bank. “He drives himself here three times a week, not just Friday. He comes on Tuesdays and works in our repack room, packaging large quantities of grain or pasta into small, family-sized packages. On Thursday, he’s one of my specialized meat crew. We usually go through about 3,000 pounds of donated meat that we’ve accumulated over the course of the week. Angelo’s integral to that part of the crew.”  

Today, that crew is packing around 574 bags filled with fresh produce and groceries, about 25 to 30 pounds each. Later, 30 volunteer drivers will each take 20 bags and deliver them to seniors across Marin.   

“It’s my favorite day of the week,” Angelo says, “because the food goes to the people.”  

He’s a firm believer in giving back to the people around him. He also believes in staying active, both mentally and physically.  

“I would be going crazy if I weren’t doing stuff like this,” he says. “A lot of people get very, very lonely when they retire. So, this is one way to keep active and to keep happy.”  

Angelo was born in San Francisco, the child of Italian immigrants. His family moved to San Mateo County when he was two, and in 1970, he settled in Marin, where he’s lived ever since. He now lives in Larkspur.  

“This is truly home,” he says.  

Still, he knows that many people don’t associate Marin with struggling to make ends meet. 

“A lot of people think of poverty as something that exists somewhere else, not in Marin” Angelo says. “I think people understand poverty in theory, but they don’t see it directly, so they don’t feel like they need to engage… poverty is [actually] shaping life all around us.”  

And because this is home, and because he knows the need is real, he wanted to help.  

“I always wanted to volunteer, but I just didn’t find the right fit for me,” Angelo says.  

When he first tried signing up for a shift, every spot was full. But he didn’t give up.  

“One day, I decided to just come down and work,” he recalls. He immediately felt at home. “I said, ‘Well, I can do this all the time,’” he laughed, “and that made it easy.”  

It also helped that he clicked with the people around him and trusted the way things were run. “We’ve got a great crew here,” he says. “And Randy does a great job. I’ve been involved in a lot of nonprofits, but [the Food Bank] is very well run.”  

In addition to his time, Angelo makes sure to donate each year.  

“This is great mission,” he says. “A lot of people can’t afford to buy food, and this gives them a way to get fed. And the food here is good. Like so many charitable organizations, we’re serving the underserved and the poor. And especially with what’s going on now in the country… there’s going to be a lot of abandoning of those people.”  

He worries about the future and what the brutal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will mean for the people who rely on it. But he hopes it pushes his neighbors to act.  

“If we have, we need to share,” he continues. “It doesn’t have to mean suffering or sacrifice. Just little things that can make a big difference. I think more people understand the crisis we’re in, and that brings them out.”  

Angelo is grateful for the opportunity to keep active, stay connected, and give back to the place he calls home. And here at the Food Bank, we’re grateful to have him. 

Planning for Tomorrow, Feeding People Today: Linda and Bill’s Story

August 15, 2025

Every Friday afternoon, Linda delivers groceries for the Food Bank to neighbors along the same route in Central Marin — something she’s done for more than many years. 

In that time, she’s seen the community change. But her weekly volunteer shift, part of the Food Bank’s Home-Delivered Groceries program, has remained a constant, rooted in connection and care for the people she serves. 

“We don’t plan anything else on Friday afternoon,” she says. “It’s blocked off for the Food Bank, and we love looking forward to it.” 

Many of the people Linda visits are older adults or have limited mobility, making it hard to get to a pantry or store. And, in some ways, the visit from Linda means just as much as the food itself. 

“I’ve gotten to know the people I deliver to,” she says. “It’s not just about the food. It’s about showing up. And that connection goes both ways.” 

For Linda and her husband Bill, supporting the San Francisco Marin Food Bank has always been personal. They’ve seen how hunger shows up in their own community and they’ve made it their mission to help. 

That’s why they decided to include the Food Bank in their estate plans. 

“We don’t have children,” Linda explains. “So, when we thought about what we wanted our legacy to be, we knew we wanted to support organizations doing work that truly matters. The Food Bank does that.” 

When they learned that Marin has one of the highest poverty rates in the Bay Area (a 17% child poverty rate and a 14.4% overall rate, according to the Public Policy Institute of California), they were stunned. “People think this is a wealthy county,” Linda says. “But hunger is here. You don’t have to be [visibly] poor to be hungry, and a lot of people are struggling silently.” 

Bill, a former financial analyst, says they carefully vetted every organization in their trust, and the Food Bank stands out. “We looked at the impact, the transparency, how far every dollar goes,” he says. “The Food Bank does the work and makes a real difference.” 

Their legacy gift will help the Food Bank continue meeting immediate needs while investing in long-term change — like providing even more neighbors with home-delivered groceries and advocating for policy solutions that address the root causes of hunger. 

Linda says she and Bill often talk about planned giving with friends, hoping to plant a seed and a sense of urgency. 

“A lot of folks say, ‘I’ll get to it someday,’” Linda says. “But it doesn’t work that way. You have to put it in writing, spell it out, and make it real. It was easy for us because we feel so strongly about it.” 

Learn more about legacy giving

 

 

“We have a voice, and I didn’t realize that.” Celebrating the First Food PAC Cohort

August 12, 2025

Amid the backdrop of the largest cut to food assistance in our nation’s history, Food Bank staff, Food Policy and Advocacy Coalition (Food PAC) members, and their loved ones came together on July 11 to celebrate the graduation of our inaugural Food PAC cohort. 

“This has been a transformative chapter,” said Policy & Advocacy Manager Alex Raffanti. “You are not just the first cohort. You are the standard, the example, and the beginning of something very, very powerful.” 

Over 18 months, Food PAC members sharpened their skills in advocacy and public speaking, and learned the ins and outs of policymaking. Drawing on their lived experience of hunger, members helped shape the questions in our Policy Survey, which directly informed the Food Bank’s 2025 Policy Agenda. This hard work culminated in a trip to Sacramento for California Hunger Action Day, where they met with legislators to advocate for policies on behalf of their neighbors. 

“When we went to Sacramento, that was such an eye-opener for me,” said Glen, a Food PAC graduate. “To actually go and speak before a representative and push for something that everybody is going to benefit from, that’s outstanding. We have a voice, and I didn’t realize that… Those people listen. They are paying attention. And I think the more we put effort into that, the more is going to come out of it.” 

Sizi, another graduate, emphasized the importance of creating space for people who have experienced hunger to be involved in policy decisions. 

“I’m super grateful for the opportunity to have a seat at the table,” she said. “Sometimes it’s tough for community members to really engage in advocacy work because of the situations we’re living through. That’s due to the systems that are in place, unfortunately. But as we engage more, I think that’s where we find the strength to really persevere.” 

Sizi also shared powerful reminder of why food banks matter, why the Food PAC’s work matters, and who this is for.  

“That’s where we get our food,” she said. “That’s where my grandma gets her food. My aunts, my cousins. So, thank you to the Food Bank for partnering with organizations that are providing healthy fruits and vegetables for our kids and for our seniors.” 

Greer spoke about how the Food PAC helped her find a sense of purpose and connection. 

“Joining the Food PAC has made such a difference in my life,” she said. “To build this community and be able to tell my story has just been life-changing for me.” 

She added, “I have enjoyed every mile that it’s taken to drive out here. And meeting everyone and developing relationships with people has just been great.” 

Before handing out certificates, Assemblymember Damon Connolly, who represents District 12 in Marin, encouraged the graduates to keep going. 

“As someone who serves in Sacramento on your behalf, I can tell you that real change happens when members of the public show up, by calling, emailing, attending committee hearings, and meeting with legislators.,” he said. “Sharing your perspectives helps us make the case not just here in the Bay Area, but across the state.” 

We’re so proud of this cohort and excited to see how they continue to lead and inspire. 

 

 

We’re currently accepting applicants for the next cohort! 

If you’re passionate about making a difference (especially if you’ve experienced food insecurity), apply now! You’ll learn advocacy skills and contribute to policy change – no prior experience needed. We require a 12-month commitment, with about 5 hours of work per month. You’ll need to speak English (reading and writing can be developed) and will be compensated $100/month. 

Apply now