Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano
 The Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano was founded in 1975 by people that saw the need for a central clearinghouse for food donations. Back then, the Food Bank had two employees, one truck, and a trailer for storing food. The driver would pick up day old bread from Safeway and return it to the trailer, where people from area churches would pick it up and distribute it from their food pantries at church.
They were certified by the America’s Second Harvest Food Bank Network in 1981. In 1995, the Solano Food Bank merged with the Contra Costa Food Bank, so they became the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.
Since then, they have grown as the problem of hunger in our counties has grown. They presently serve over 98,000 people every month, and distribute about 9.6 million pounds a year, enough food for 7.68 million meals! The Food Bank employs 38 staff members in Contra Costa and Solano counties. But the work could not get done without the help of the hundreds of volunteers that donate their time to coordinate food drives, sort and pack the food, and help distribute it to their hungry neighbors.
Information at www.foodbankccs.org
Alameda County Community Food Bank
 Since 1985, the Alameda County Community Food Bank has helped people in need. As Alameda County's central clearinghouse for donated food, the Food Bank distributed 14.3 million pounds of food during FY 2006-2007.
Through a network of 300 community based organizations, including food pantries and soup kitchens, the Food Bank provides food assistance to 40,000 people each week, including low-income and working poor adults, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, abuse survivors, people living with AIDS, and the homeless.
In addition to food distribution, the Food Bank educates the community about the causes of hunger and poverty, advocates for policies that would improve the lives of low-income people and operates an emergency food referral helpline (1-800-870-3663 (FOOD) in Alameda County).
Information at http://accfb.org
From previous years:
Message to Zachary’s from Pam Gidwani of the Alameda County Community Food Bank:
“Thanks so much for supporting the Food Bank! …. I just want to underscore how important it is for our community partners like you to step up and host food drives at this point of the year – it’s our lowest time of the year for quantities of donated food – right in between the holidays and when summer food drives kick in. The food that is donated through food drives is typically among the highest quality food we receive…. It really helps bridge the gap during the springtime!
 KQED - The California Report 6/25/09 - Zachary's own Leandra Schuler was interviewed for the Thursday, June 25, 2009 show and talked about our food drive and about supporting local food banks.
 Diablo Magazine helped spread the word about Zachary's Food Drive.
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