The Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County has been serving the community for 25 years by addressing the hunger and nutrition needs of those who are food insecure. The nonprofit addresses a pressing need in California, which has one of the highest rates of child food insecurity in the nation.
Amongst the Food Bank’s many programs are the innovative GleanSLO, which harvests fresh local produce that would otherwise go to waste, Senior Farmers’ Market, which gives elderly residents in need the opportunity to pick out their own produce, and Lovin’ Lunchbox, which provides nutritious meals to children who face hunger during the summer months when they are not in school.
In 2014, the Food Bank distributed 6.1 million pounds of food to the community and has doubled in both size and services in the last 10 years. As a result, the Food Bank has outgrown their current warehouses and will consolidate to a new facility that will be self-developed in San Luis Obispo. This will allow them to efficiently operate from a central location and decrease overhead costs.
There are many ways to assist the Food Bank including monetary donations, food donations and volunteering. For more information, please visit: www.slofoodbank.org.
Food Bank’s annual Hunger Awareness Day is Friday, June 5! By donating one dollar you can help provide ten dollars worth of food to those who are hungry in our county. The Food Bank will be lining the streets of Downtown SLO by Union Bank from 7am to 7pm accepting donations, no matter how large or small. For more information on Hunger Awareness Day, click HERE.