Pacific Pantry will have full shelves thanks to roughly $20,000 in community donations. Photo: Courtesy of the Community Food Council

The Community Food Council announced Monday that it has received $20,000 in donations to purchase food for its Pacific Pantry:

On Nov. 1, the Pacific Pantry entered into a funding gap and was unsure how they would keep the pantry stocked and open through the holidays. With its cupboards bare just before Thanksgiving, the financially-strapped Pacific Pantry in Crescent City issued a call for help that was answered by several individuals and local community organizations who donated $20,000 to purchase food through the holidays and winter months. The support from the community has been uplifting, as individuals have stepped forward with both monetary and food donations. Community members Dwight and Janis Winslow delivered 250 pounds of food, filling the pantry’s shelves immediately before funds arrived and others brought apples and food donations directly to the Family Resource Center. The pantry has received $1,275 in donations from residents that will be matched by the Caldwell Clan Fund.

 

Community Food Council Director Amanda Hixson shared, “ The pantry would not be open right now without these donations. The pantry would be closed and the shelves would be empty. All of the hungry people in this community would not be able to come here to get food for Thanksgiving, for their daily needs, for their kids. It would be a cold empty place right now at the pantry.”

 

The Community Food Council launched a multifaceted fundraising campaign on November 12th with a goal to reach $25,000 by the end of the year. The Caldwell Clan was the first to respond, offering to match any donations up to $10,000  through Dec. 3, Giving Tuesday. Gina Zottola, executive director of Wild Rivers Community Foundation, quickly shared the pantry’s need with several regional community partners — St. Joseph Health System, Humboldt Area Foundation, and the Patricia D. & William B. Smullin Foundation — which donated an additional $10,000. The Philanthropic Fund of the Caldwell Family also stepped forward and contributed another $1000. The money will help sustain the pantry for a few months as they pursue grants to fill the funding gap but the pantry will still need community support until long-term funding is secured. 

 

The community can stay involved in a variety of ways. Donate now https://givingtuesday.mightycause.com/story/Pacific-Pantry. Every donation made up to Dec 3, Giving Tuesday, will be matched by the Caldwell Clan Fund up to $10,000. Donate today to double your donation. Purchase cranberry sauce from the Family Resource Center of the Redwoods, 494 Pacific Avenue, during their open hours M-F 9:00-5:00, Sat 10:00-2:00. Jars are available in 8 oz, 12 oz, and 16 oz and made from hand picked gleaned cranberries from the Port Orford cranberry bogs. Attend the Empty Bowls Fundraising Dinner on Saturday, December 14th from 4:00-7:00 at the Crescent City Cultural Center. The event will feature a variety of soups, bread, and desserts with all proceeds going to buy food for the Pacific Pantry. If you would like to help out with event, the Community Food Council is looking for ceramic bowl donations, soup donations, bread donations,dessert donations, and silent auction items. 

 

The Pacific Pantry has become known as a resource where Del Norte community members can go to access emergency food staples that include milk, eggs, cheese, and produce not always available at other emergency food distribution sites. Led by the Community Food Council of Del Norte and Tribal Lands, Pacific Pantry is a choice-based food bank that allows clients to “shop” in the pantry, choosing the foods that go into their food boxes. The only one of its kind in the county, the model provides a dignified experience by letting clients pick out the items that fit their cultural and dietary needs. The Pacific Pantry prioritizes the health of the community by sourcing local and organic food whenever possible, supporting local producers while delivering healthy food to their clients. 

 

The Pacific Pantry has provided an essential resource to Del Norte’s most vulnerable families. Data from Kidsdata.org, showed 29.7% of households with children in Del Norte in 2014 were food insecure. In the last few months over 600 households, comprised of 1,200 people,  have been utilizing the pantry for monthly emergency food. From July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019, a total of 6,223 pantry visits fed 15,770 people, of whom 1,186 were children 0-5 years old. Total yearly numbers include repeat clients because households are able to visit once a month and get to choose a number of items based on household size. 

 

A volunteer and client from the Pacific Pantry shared, "The Pacific Food Pantry is so important to me because I live on a fixed income and towards the end of the month I usually run out of groceries that work with each other to make a complete meal. The pantry provides food choices that are helpful for my family and me. Sometimes we don't understand how small of a donation can have such a large impact on members in our community. I hope Pacific Pantry is here for a long time to come."

For further questions and information, please contact Andrea Lanctot, Food Program Coordinator, DNATL Community Food Council, alanctot@frcredwoods.org. 707-464-0955 ext 2109

 

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