Gary Maxworthy transformed a sector. His work impacted hundreds of thousands of families in need by asking a bold question: why couldn’t food banks provide fresh fruits and vegetables grown in California for neighbors in need?
Gary was charismatic and always had a twinkle in his eyes. He loved people and helped you believe anything was possible. He was a man whose vision, and unwavering devotion to helping all in our community access healthy fruits and vegetables revolutionized how California food banks operate. He passed away on April 1, 2026.
After more than three decades in the food distribution business, Gary came to the San Francisco Food Bank at 56 after the loss of his first wife. His children encouraged a change, and volunteering soon became a compass for new purpose. He joined AmeriCorps as a VISTA volunteer, with his first and only assignment at the San Francisco Food Bank.
Armed with a mission-driven commitment to address the growing problem of hunger, Gary channeled his grief into actions that strengthened our community.
Gary drew on his deep expertise and quickly saw what needed to change. Food banks at the time relied mostly on canned and packaged goods, while food distributors were sending millions of pounds of fresh produce to landfills every year because it was considered a surplus harvest — nutritious but not photogenic produce. He knew that if everyone worked together, something transformative could happen.
Gary believed people facing hunger deserved access to the same fresh fruits and vegetables as anyone else. He was determined to make that happen, even if it meant years of driving up and down Central Valley roads and throughout California to talk with farmers about donating their excess food. In 2000, Gary’s idea took shape as Farm to Family, a groundbreaking program that connects California growers directly with food banks.
Today, Farm to Family serves nearly every food bank in California. Last year, San Francisco-Marin Food Bank secured 39 million pounds of food through the Farm to Family program, bringing more than 71 types of delicious fruits and vegetables into our neighbors’ homes. The innovative program he launched at San Francisco-Marin Food Bank has now scaled across California, greatly expanding access to fresh, healthy food for those who are food insecure. Each year, the program delivers more than 300 million pounds — about 9,000 tractor trailer loads — of fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks statewide to help nourish local communities
Thanks to Gary, more than 70 percent of what San Francisco-Marin Food Bank provides to participants is fresh produce. This is the gold standard in food access — providing desired, fresh, culturally responsive produce — a dramatic shift from the canned and packaged food of the past, and a change that continues to set us apart nationwide.
For 23 years, Gary poured his heart into the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank. His colleagues remember the way he led with care,
mentored the next generation of food bankers and never lost sight of the heart of this work and who really mattered: the participants we serve.
Gary’s connection to the Food Bank also led to new pathways in his life. He met a kindred spirit in Radha Stern, who shared his commitment to help those struggling to put food on their tables. It was not just the Food Bank’s mission; it was a personal one for the couple. Their connection to the Food Bank was so deeply rooted, they held their wedding at our San Francisco warehouse.
Gary’s legacy lives on with every moment neighbors enjoy nutritious produce from a community market. It lives on when families gather around a table for a meal made from fresh groceries from our Neighborhood Pantry Network.And it lives on when a parent selects food of their family’s preference at a partner’s farmer’s market style pantry, packing a delicious nectarine into their child’s school lunch. So many in the communities we serve, and across California, thrive because of the transformational work that Gary started.
We are deeply grateful to have had Gary as part of our Food Bank family.
Share