Davis Councilmember Lucas Frerichs volunteering at Yolo Food Bank Thanksgiving meal distribution in Woodland, November 2016.
With nearly 20% of Yolo County residents living in poverty and even more who are food insecure, Thanksgiving would be in jeopardy for 52,000 children, seniors and families were it not for the Yolo Food Bank and its food distribution network. Your Food Bank works with nonprofit and other partners throughout Yolo County each year to ensure that all families in need receive the food necessary to prepare and share in the tradition of a Thanksgiving meal.
Thanks to the dedication of lead sponsor Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, and the support of many individuals and businesses for the “Sharing Yolo’s Bounty” initiative, 2,000 Thanksgiving meal kits will be distributed at 10 locations throughout Yolo County beginning this week. Each meal kit will include either a turkey or a turkey gift card to a local grocery store, an assortment of fresh seasonal produce and other classic Thanksgiving “fixings” to offer sustenance and comfort during this season of generosity and gratitude.
Your Food Bank is still short of the goal of fully funding the “Sharing Yolo’s Bounty” initiative to ensure all Yolo County families can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. May we count upon your support to increase our reach to meet the full community need this year? Whether a gift of $5,000 to feed 100 families, $500 to provide for 10 families or an additional contribution of $50 to ensure that one less family will face empty plates this Thanksgiving, your generosity will add not just sustenance, but also spirit to another family’s holiday…and likely your own, as well.
When: Friday, November 16, 2018 – 10:00 a.m.
When: Wednesday, November 14, 2018 – 4:00 p.m.
When: Saturday, November 17, 2018 – 8:00 a.m.
When: Thursday, November 15, 2018 – 4:00 p.m.
When: Thursday, November 15, 2018 – 1:00 p.m.
Together with a network of nearly 200 nonprofit organizations and other partners, Yolo Food Bank serves the needs of individuals in 19,000 Yolo County households every month. To accomplish this, the Food Bank moves more than four million pounds of food annually countywide in pursuit of its mission to end hunger and malnutrition. Funds, food and time are needed to sustain these efforts. To donate, volunteer or learn more, please visit www.yolofoodbank.org.
We also contribute to STEAC throughout the year, both financially, and working the food closet (~ 4 hours a week) throughout the year.
Howard, thank you for your powerful response to Michael’s piece. Nearly 30% of Davis residents live in poverty (the highest poverty rate in Yolo County!), and approximately 25% of children enrolled in the DJUSD qualify for free or reduced price school lunches. People often assume that the statistics are high due to UC Davis student food insecurity, but the reality is that very few students are permanent residents of the City, and have children enrolled in the schools. It is not the image that many people have of Davis, but it is the reality. Whether a financial donation to support families at Thanksgiving at family.yolofoodbank.org, a general operational gift at give.yolofoodbank.org or time devoted to one or more of the many essential volunteer roles (see https://yolofoodbank.org/volunteer/), support for Yolo Food Bank supports an end to hunger and malnutrition in Yolo County. In Davis, Yolo Food Bank pursues this mission via more than 60 nonprofit organizations (such as STEAC, Davis Community Meals, Empower Yolo, Meals on Wheels, CommuniCare, etc.), food donors, program distribution partners and volunteer organizations. It is easy to feel frustrated or hopeless about the news around us, but, indeed, to provide nourishment for our fellow residents is the very basic and essential work that elevates the common good around us.