Food Bank Day: How you can help food banks in the Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — Bay Area food banks are in need more than ever of volunteers to assist during the coronavirus pandemic.

Find out how you can help a local food bank near you.

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank

Thursday afternoon, order builders with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank started gathering food and loading up pallets to deliver to pantries and popup pantries for Friday’s distribution.

Since the pandemic broke out, the need has skyrocketed.

“Before the pandemic broke out, we were serving 32,000 households,” Sean Brooks with the SF-Marin Food Bank said. “And at this point we are serving about 49,000 households this week.”

While that’s happening inside the warehouse, outside, volunteers are loading bags with groceries for the food bank’s new Pantry at Home delivery program. It’s for seniors and other vulnerable populations who shouldn’t leave their homes.  

“I’m outta work myself so I can’t give money but I can give my time,” Food bank volunteer Priya Kollipara said. “And it makes me feel better to help people in my community.”

Once the bags are loaded, they are moved to the curb where drivers pick up them up and head out on their deliveries. 

While the food bank has enough food to service these 20,000 additional households, they could use more volunteer drivers and packers, as well as donations.

Alameda County Community Food Bank

The coronavirus crisis has sparked an enormous amount of job loss and a huge spike in people turning to local food banks for help.

The Alameda County Community Food Bank says they’ve seen a 1,000% increase in calls to their emergency help line.

San Jose food bank looking for volunteers

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley needs volunteers at their distribution facilities and financial support so they can better serve those in need during this difficult time.

The food bank serves Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

Army National Guard Helps Fairfield Food Bank

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