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By Mary Innes

Whether you’re struggling to feed your family or looking to donate groceries, the need for food donations is at a record high, and local food banks need help to meet the demand. 

As the pandemic dramatically affected many households in regards to food security, it’s also affecting these organizations, and operations at these facilities may be impacted. Be sure to give them a call for hours, available services, or donations before you stop by to either pick up or drop off groceries.

While most food donations go to single-parent homes and senior citizens on limited incomes, eligibility for emergency food assistance is determined by the pantries and food banks, and are based on income, available financial resources, and federal poverty guidelines. 

Tuolumne County

A-TCAA Food Bank
10059 Victoria Way, Jamestown
209-984-3960
Donations: Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Other business: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency (A-TCAA) has its main offices in Jackson and Sonora, respectively. The Sonora office operates the A-TCAA Food Bank in Jamestown, and distributes food directly to people in need at the Jamestown warehouse. It also supplies over a dozen other emergency food pantries in the county.

A-TCAA also partners with local, seasonal farmers, markets to collect surplus produce, and distributes it through several distribution sites. The food bank is currently open for those who need help, and also to receive donations of food, cash, and volunteer assistance.

Interfaith Community Social Service Center
18500 Striker Court, Sonora            
209-532-0905
Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

An interdenominational, non-profit organization of 15 churches and 250 volunteers, Interfaith Community Social Services provides monthly emergency food supplies to over 700 families each year at the Sonora facility, and has been operating in Tuolumne County since 1988. The agency also receives support from local foundations, businesses, and individuals. 

Due to COVID-19, Interfaith currently only welcomes donations of groceries, monetary contributions, and fundraising partnerships. 

The Mother Lode Food Project
info@motherlodefoodproject.com

Organized by two local, retired teachers, The Mother Lode Food Project (MLFP) is a private food donation effort. Neighborhood coordinators organize a group of neighbors, a church group, a book club, or a group of friends, and each individual member of each group agrees to donate a bag of non-perishable foods every other month.

Facilitators suggest purchasing one additional non-perishable grocery item each week, and saving it in the green, reusable grocery bag that is provided by MLFP. Then, on pick up day, volunteers pick up the donations from the donor’s doorstep and leave a new reusable bag. In addition to regular pick up days, several local businesses and individuals also serve as food donation drop-off locations around the county. 

Donations are then taken to the A-TCAA food bank in Jamestown for local distribution to people in need. 

Approximately 300 households now participate in the MLFP. Between the creation of the program in 2012 and 2018, MLFP received over 200,000 pounds of food and nearly $14,000 in monetary contributions for emergency food relief in the county. A printable list of the most needed items is available on their website, and household items such as soap, toilet paper, and toothpaste are welcome in addition to food.

Calaveras County

The Resource Connection Food Bank
206 George Reed Drive, San Andreas
209-754-1257
Monday – Wednesday & Friday, 9 a.m. – 4:30 pm (Closed Thursdays)

The Resource Connection is the primary emergency food distribution center in Calaveras County. Established in 1981, the organization provides monthly food bags to eligible county residents at their food bank on George Reed Drive, as well as 10 food pantries located at churches and other facilities around the county.

The Resource Connection also offers donated, in-season produce from local farmers markets, with the produce distribution site moving to a new location each month.

Food donations can be dropped off at the food bank during regular business hours, where financial contributions are also welcome. New volunteers can join by attending an orientation meeting held each Monday at 8:45 a.m. at the food bank.