The Emergency Food Bank has served the San Joaquin County area for 50 years providing a food pantry, mobile farmer’s market, nutrition education, and more.
The Emergency Food Bank, located at 7 W. Scotts Ave. in Stockton, California, is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM – 12 PM. There was a time my family needed their services. I was so thankful they were there for us! They’ve certainly grown since then to include many services to help residents throughout our area.
More than a food pantry, they offer a range of services
- Nutrition On The Move, an education and cooking demo program, is free for families to learn how to plan healthy meals with food provided by the food bank. There’s also budgeting workshops and workshops on living an active lifestyle. All workshops take place on Fridays from 11 AM – 12 PM at the Thomas F. Wilson Nutrition Education Center (next to the food bank warehouse).
- Growing GREENS Eating LEAN teaches the basics of gardening to help families grow their own vegetables and fruits. I’m really excited to see this! I struggle at growing anything but it’s something I really wish I could do. We’ll have to check back for classes.
- I was surprised to learn we have a Hunger Task Force for San Joaquin County! This is awesome! They meet quarterly and have advocated for policies such as increased Cal Fresh and Medi-Cal enrollment. They welcome new members. The next meeting is October 18th at 9AM. Contact Elvira Ramirez by email eramirez@ccstockton.org or call 209-444-5938 for more information.
How you can help the Emergency Food Bank
- Volunteer your time in three ways; be a driver for their small to mid-size vans, help with warehouse work, or sort and handle food.
- Did you know you could host a food drive? Find out how here.
- Donate once or set up recurring donations.
- Participate in events that benefit the food bank like their upcoming 15th Annual Run and Walk Against Hunger.
Food insecurity is far too prevalent in our communities to ignore.
We can’t ignore the data. According to the 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment, 18% of residents in San Joaquin County do not have access to adequate and nutritious food. Malnutrition can be linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes. It’s also very stressful. I remember the stress of not having food in our fridge or skipping breakfast and lunch. The Emergency Food Bank helped our family when we needed it most. If your family is struggling, the Emergency Food Bank can help. If not, I strongly urge you to volunteer your time, donate this year, and participate in activities which benefit their organization.
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