Lisa Heinrich, Director of Development and Communications

Dave Martinez, Executive Director

“The majority of the food insecure in our community aren’t unhoused or seniors—they’re working families with more month than money,” says Jessica Sorgea, communications specialist at Folsom’s Twin Lakes Food Bank (TLFB). Talking to all three of our region’s major food banks—TLFB, Food Bank of El Dorado County, and Feeding the Foothills (formerly Placer Food Bank)—it’s evident that the pandemic and ongoing high cost of living are taking their toll on many people. Food banks are no longer the preserve of people living on the streets, and the number of food bank consumers has increased dramatically, nearly doubling in the last four years. While you might assume food banks are a small industry to help the needy, they are, in fact, huge operations serving our communities. For Kim McPherson, office manager at Food Bank of El Dorado County, and her team of staff (many of them volunteers), their day begins at 6:30 a.m., as the first of the food rolls in ready to be sorted and inventoried in their warehouse. They look for expiration dates and any damage, and then the food is delivered to numerous partner agencies across the county, such as homeless charities and maternity homes, as well as open distribution sites. McPherson and her team spend much of the day managing the logistics of distribution, conducting tours and visits, and fielding calls. “We hear some heartbreaking stories,” she shares. The number of people they’re helping has doubled since before COVID and become more varied. “The people coming to food banks aren’t always who you think. They could be two-income households, but that just isn’t enough. We [also] see a lot of single parents and even grandparents who have become caregivers.” Heartbreaking stories are not exclusive to the Food Bank of El Dorado County. Lisa Heinrich, director of development and communications of Feeding the Foothills, recounts when “a woman from Rocklin came at the very end of our PantryToGo distribution. She had the time wrong for the distribution and we had just closed. She pulled up in her car, and we noticed children’s car seats in the back. Her shame and desperation were so obvious that we knew we had to take care of her, and we wouldn’t leave until we helped. When we provided her with a healthy food box and some sweet treats, she expressed immense gratitude and said she was at the end of her rope, and we were her lifeline. We were thankful to be there for her.” Like the Food Bank of El Dorado County, Feeding the Foothills works on a large scale, with its warehouse in Roseville serving Placer, El Dorado, and Nevada counties. As a Feeding America food bank, they’re committed to fighting hunger and building a stronger, more compassionate society. Twin Lakes Food Bank serves Folsom, Granite Bay, and El Dorado Hills, but 90% of its guests are Folsom residents. They often see people lining up at 7 a.m.—two hours before they “open”—to shop in their market-style food bank. Twin Lakes grows produce in its gardens and last year cultivated around 5,000 pounds of crops! This produce is available to guests, as well as meat, dairy, bread, and desserts.

FOOD BANK OF EL DORADO COUNTY 

FOOD BANK OF EL DORADO COUNTY

“Guests check-in at registration where they’re greeted by weekly volunteers who know their name and family, making them feel seen and special,” Sorgea informs me. And this is a recurring theme. All the food bank distribution sites have regular guests or shoppers who become known to the volunteers; these frequent check-ins with a friendly smile build a sense of community and routine—essential when other areas of life may feel out of control. All the food banks also provide additional services for specific groups, such as delivering food packages to veterans and housebound residents with severe health issues or distributing food to local hubs (think homeless shelters and local colleges).

Twin Lakes Food Bank

Twin Lakes Food Bank

Lisa Tuter, Executive Director — Twin Lakes Food Bank

Jessica Sorgea, Communications Specialist — Twin Lakes Food Bank

Different groups may require different food products depending on kitchen accessibility, health needs, and age, so there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to nutrition provision—just another factor for the food banks’ teams to consider when managing their inventories, locations, and programs. In addition to helping communities on a regular basis, food banks also cooperate with local authorities and organizations to assist those in need during and after natural disasters. “When people have lost everything, that’s when they need a food bank,” a staffer at TLFB tells me. This month it’s Thanksgiving, of course, and holidays are considered in food bank planning. “We put together turkey boxes for Thanksgiving—a frozen turkey plus all the fixings—and people who need them drive up in their cars and make a huge line to pick one up,” McPherson tells me. I suggest that it must be quite moving to witness. “Organized chaos!” she retorts.

How To Help

• Donate money. Food banks receive help from state and federal agencies, but they appreciate financial donations to buy additional items.

•  Donate time. Every food bank requires volunteers, especially during busy periods like the holiday season. Get a group together and give back.

• Donate food. Why not add to your shopping cart when you go to the grocery store and drop it off at one of the food banks? It’s always appreciated. 

FOR MORE INFO, VISIT TWINLAKESFOODBANK.ORG, FEEDINGTHEFOOTHILLS.ORG, AND FOODBANKEDC.ORG. 

by Caroline Kings
Feeding the Foothills  photos by Image Outfitters. Main Twin Lakes Food Bank photo by Ray  Burgess ©stylereadersmedia. Other photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations.