Yolo Food Bank recently released our annual impact report for fiscal year 2023-2024 highlighting all the ways that we are providing support for our neighbors in need. Together with our 68 partner agencies throughout the county, we are serving an average of 30,700 households every month.
In order to support that many households, our warehouse distributes over 9.6 million pounds of food throughout the county. Our Operations team retrieves food from our grocery recovery partners. Once it’s at our warehouse, it’s screened for quality. Edible food gets sorted and packed before it goes back out on our trucks for distribution to community members.
Yolo Food Bank primarily relies on food donated by 74 different partners – yet we still need to purchase food to close the gap for individuals and families in need. Recently, the Amazon grocery fulfillment center in West Sacramento closed its doors. Amazon has generously donated over 1 million pounds of essential items annually, representing an important source of food that we can no longer rely on. Gifts are critical during this time, as they will help us fill this gap to ensure we can provide more healthy and culturally appropriate food to our community.
Community Food Distributions
Yolo Food Bank’s food assistance footprint is vast! There are 19 public distributions around the county that provide consistent access to groceries for anyone living in Yolo County. Every month there are farmers’ markets at 23 different schools to teach students about nutrition and provide access to fresh produce. Groceries are also delivered to 24 different private community sites to low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and mobility-restricted neighbors.
In March, Yolo Food Bank released a survey report revealing 53% of agricultural workers in our county are food insecure. In response to these findings we began a new program called “Cultivo” that provides culturally appropriate food directly to agricultural workers at their place of work and residence. Seeing the early success of this program so far, we are excited about Cultivo and the positive impact it will have on our community.
Celebrating Together
We also celebrated our supporters and community with some big events. Our first-ever Night at the Warehouse honored our incredible volunteers, generous food donors, and dedicated financial supporters. The night was packed with trivia, fun prizes, and interactive warehouse tours, plus our new “Pallet Awards” to recognize outstanding contributions. It was inspiring to see everyone come together to support our shared mission.
Our 3rd Annual Golf Tournament was a huge success, bringing in a record number of participants and supporters! Local businesses, volunteers, individual donors, and Yolo Food Bank staff all joined us on the course for an exciting 18-hole scramble. The event offered a fantastic opportunity for everyone to come together, connect, and share in our mission while enjoying a fun day in the sun. After the tournament, players enjoyed a delicious lunch along with a raffle and fun prizes. Thanks to the incredible turnout and the generosity of our sponsors and participants, this year’s tournament raised more funds than ever before.
A Foundation of Giving
All of this amazing work doesn’t happen without the on-going commitment and support of our wonderful volunteers who arrive at the warehouse and at distribution sites ready to lend a hand. Last year 1,913 active volunteers contributed 31,462 hours to support our food-insecure community – a total contribution valued at nearly $1.1 million based on California nonprofit averages.
