Meet Karen! 👋

Karen is a regular at our Public Community Food Distributions at the Yolo Fairgrounds. Originally from Honduras, Karen now lives in Woodland with her husband and their three children, ages 14, 5, and a 3-month-old baby. 🤗

Like many in our community, Karen and ...her family depend on Yolo Food Bank for essential support. Despite limited assistance from SNAP/CalFresh, Karen finds relief at our distributions. "We save a lot of money coming here and it really helps," she says. 🍓 Karen also offers a message of encouragement to others who might hesitate to seek help: "Don't be embarrassed to come to the food distributions. We all come seeking a better future for our children—let's leave shame behind and be bold." 💚

There are less than 10 days to make a gift before Big Day of Giving! You can support families like Karen's by donating today at: bigdayofgiving.org/yolofoodbank

#BDOG2024 #BigDayofGiving2024 #RecipientStory #YoloFoodBank #FoodResponders

In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to highlight our incredible volunteers who power the Yolo Food Bank! During our recent "Night at the Warehouse" event on April 11, we had the honor of recognizing some truly outstanding contributions:

The West Sacramento Rotary ...Club was awarded the “Volunteer Group of the Year Award” for their sustained commitment and innovative efforts, such as providing insulated bags to ensure efficient and dignified food distributions. Jean Barbour, affectionately known as the “Dunnigan Queen,” received the “Rural Community Ambassador Award” for her tireless service and deep devotion to her local community. 🤗

We also celebrated our Lifetime Achievement awardees, a distinguished group of 15 volunteers who have each dedicated over 500 hours of service to the Food Bank. Their unwavering dedication and passion are nothing short of inspiring. Each awardee was honored with a special jacket and a certificate signed by CA State Senator Bill Dodd, symbolizing our deep gratitude for their significant contributions to our mission. 🏆

Together with all our 2,400 volunteers, who collectively donated the equivalent of $1.2 million worth of time are the backbone of our efforts. From the bottom of our hearts, we are so grateful for their commitment to care for their neighbors in need. 👏

As we look forward to Big Day of Giving 2024, your support will make a huge difference. Join us in responding to the food needs of our community by pledging to volunteer and donating at bigdayofgiving.org/yolofoodbank 💚

#Volunteers #YoloFoodBank #BDOG2024

New blog post is up! 🙌

Last week, we celebrated with some of our community of supporters during our "Night at the Warehouse" event, which honored our dedicated volunteers, generous food donors, and committed financial contributors. This was the first time in years (since our ...big move to our current warehouse), where we created the occasion for all supporters to come together. 💚

Due to maximum capacity restrictions and at the direction of the fire marshal, unfortunately we weren’t able to invite every single one of our valued supporters. This by no way shape or form diminishes the impact of your contributions. We look forward to offering more opportunities for our entire community to come together in the coming months!

Check out the blog post to relive all the memorable moments 👉 https://yolofb.org/night-at-the-warehouse

#YoloFoodBankBlog

Yolo County, renowned globally for its agricultural output, is pivotal in supplying food worldwide. Despite this bounty, a stark contrast exists within our county. An alarming 53% of households in Yolo County with an agricultural worker are food insecure. These hardworking individuals, who ensure ...our families have fresh produce, often struggle to meet their own nutritional needs.

Recognizing this critical issue, Sutter Health generously invested $200,000 in Yolo Food Bank to begin a new program, Cultivo, that delivers culturally appropriate food directly to the homes and workplaces of agricultural workers. You can learn more about Cultivo and Sutter Health's commitment to food and health equity by checking out their recent article https://yolofb.org/3xPGjEx

Sutter Health's investment marks a significant step towards addressing the food needs of this vulnerable population. However, the need remains substantial. This Big Day of Giving, you can respond too by donating at bigdayofgiving.org/yolofoodbank so we can nourish those who nourish us.

#bigdayofgiving2024 #BDOG2024 #YoloFoodBank #Cultivo #SutterHealth #FoodResponders

New Program Hopes to Solve Food Inequity Among Ag Workers | Vitals

A new Yolo County study unearthed an ironic trend: Those who work hard to bring others their food are the ones who are most food-insecure. That is ...

yolofb.org

Mark is a resident of Esparto, a single father of two teenagers living with multiple disabilities. When Mark lost his job it made it difficult to feed his family. Thankfully, soon after he found support through Yolo Food Bank's Private Community Food Distributions. 🍎

“I received ...milk, eggs, and vegetables [from Yolo Food Bank] and even some snack foods – which are practically an essential in a household with teenagers. The food is much needed and very helpful,” Mark says. “Not being able to provide for your family is a big hit on your psyche; your sense of self-worth comes from taking care of your kids. [Yolo Food Bank] helps me to not feel like I’m failing.”

Now, Mark attends our Public Community Food Distributions when he needs assistance. He enjoys cooking meals with his children, who love to cook. “It is very expensive to live in California, but it is where my children have their friends and their school. It would not be possible for me to give them the life they deserve without the help of Yolo Food Bank,” he shared. 🍽

Mark's family is one of the almost 40% of households with children in Yolo County that are food insecure. This Big Day of Giving, you can respond to this critical need by donating today at bigdayofgiving.org/yolofoodbank 💚

Early giving is now open for Big Day of Giving 2024, happening on May 2! 🎉

This year, the need is even greater – our recent Yolo County Food Access Survey revealed that almost 30% of Yolo County residents are food insecure, with 20% those in need not accessing available food ...assistance. Your support during #BDOG2024 will launch Yolo Food Bank’s Food Responders initiative to help us meet this gap. Your gifts will fund our operations that will ensure vulnerable residents of Yolo County do not get left behind. 🍎

Yolo Food Bank has been on the front lines of crises always – from scaling up our services threefold to meet the demand of our community during the pandemic, to providing food relief during natural disasters and unexpected crises. Yolo Food Bank is in effect, an extension of first responders by delivering the most basic essential need that is food.

Donate early and make a gift at bigdayofgiving.org/yolofoodbank! 💚

#BigDayofGiving2024 #BDOG2024 #YoloFoodBank #FoodResponders

Yolo Food Bank is proud and grateful to be a part of the Food and Agriculture team during this year’s Cap-to-Cap trip, organized by the Sacramento Metro Chamber! 🏛

Our Executive Director, Karen Baker, and Director of Development and Communications, Maria Segoviano, were in Washington,... D.C. this week, championing the cause of food and nutrition security. Our advocacy efforts are focused on expanding access to SNAP/CalFresh and strengthening our local food systems through collaborative partnerships. 💚

By fostering these connections and emphasizing the importance of food resilience at the national level, we are working to secure vital policies that will benefit everyone in our region. 🤗

📸 From left to right: (Front Row: Karen Baker, Executive Director, Yolo Food Bank; Carrie Johnson, Executive Director, Rancho Cordova Food Locker; Trish Kelly, Managing Director, Valley Vision; Maria Segoviano, Director of Development and Communications, Yolo Food Bank; Clay Nutting, Owner, Canon East Sacramento). (Back Row: Patrick Mulvaney, Chef and Owner, Mulvaney's B&L; Brandon Minto, Director of Federal and Government Relations, UC Davis; U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern; Santana Diaz, Executive Chef, UC Davis Health; Brad Cecchi, Chef and Owner, Canon East Sacramento).

#CaptoCap2024 #YoloFoodBank

Join our team! Yolo Food Bank is seeking a Warehouse Associate for our Partner Agency Store!

If your passionate about serving your community, and feel you have the skills for the job, click the link here 👉 yolofb.org/3Uj1hVl

#JoinOurTeam #Hiring #YoloFoodBank

More great news from our amazing partner, Sutter Health! 🥳️

Sutter Health has generously donated $75,000 to Yolo Food Bank to help cover the costs incurred from the fire at our facility on March 14! This gift comes at a pivotal time, serving as a vital lifeline as we navigate these ...unexpected costs and necessary infrastructure repairs.

"We are profoundly grateful for Sutter Health’s unwavering support during this time. Their rapid response and generous aid demonstrate a deep commitment to the health and well-being of our community," says Karen Baker, Executive Director of Yolo Food Bank. 🤗

Thank you, Sutter Health, for your consistent partnership in our mission and your responsiveness to the needs of Yolo County! 🙌

We also extend our sincere thanks to all those in our community who have donated, offered support, and sent encouraging messages in response to the fire. We are continually amazed and uplifted by the love and solidarity of our county. 💚

#YoloFoodBank #SutterHealth