HUNGER NO MORE
Central California Food Bank
We fight hunger by gathering and distributing food, engaging in partnerships that advance self-sufficiency, and by providing community leadership on issues related to hunger.
Central California Food Bank (CCFB) provides access to shelf-stable food and fresh produce to over 350 feeding sites in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, and Tulare Counties. Through these partnerships, over 350,000 people receive food-relief services from partner organizations each month. In 2020, approximately 54 million pounds of food were provided to communities through CCFB’s comprehensive feeding programs, such as School Pantries, the BackPack Program, the Mobile Pantry Program, Groceries2Go, Neighborhood Markets, Senior Hunger Programs, CalFresh Outreach, and more. Over 5,000 volunteers per year, generous local and national support, and 55 dedicated staff members drive CCFB’s success.
Co-CEOs Natalie Caples and Kym Dildine operate as “one voice” for CCFB whenever possible. The organization has expanded rapidly over the year and a half that the duo has been at the helm, and CCFB’s scope has evolved just as exponentially since its inception. “When Central California Food Bank was founded in 1992 by a group of concerned and passionate volunteers, they had little to no resources available at their disposal. The goal was to do what they could with what they had,” CCFB recounts. “Now, after nearly 30 years of feeding Central California, we actively build relationships and seek out resources in the community, and programming is tailored to have a neighbor-centric approach. We execute this focus by soliciting feedback from neighbors and partners, being proactive, anticipating trends and program enhancements, and providing neighbors with comprehensive meals including protein and dairy.”
CCFB’s relationship-based approach is what fundamentally impacts the community it serves. “We know that in order to accomplish our vision of a hunger-free Central California, we must leverage the strengths of our member partners (churches, schools, and other community-based organizations) to serve neighbors in need. In order to do this successfully, we embrace an abundance mentality. This plays out in our day-to-day work through capacity investments in our member partner network, including items like refrigeration and technology, and sourcing out excess and sharing product,” they elaborate. “We give from our agricultural abundance because a hungry child in Central California is no different than a hungry child in Las Vegas.”
Sharing the abundance is a vital part of CCFB’s method, and that teamwork mentality carries over into their partnerships with other non-profit organizations. “CCFB works with over 200 community-based organizations to expand our reach. Our partnerships include familiar names like Catholic Charities, Poverello House, Fresno City College Ram Pantry, Fresno State Student Cupboard, Fresno Metro Ministry Food to Share, St. Rest Baptist Church, and Fresno Unified,” list the Co-CEOs. In addition to the distribution of food, CCFB is also a member of the National Diaper Bank Network, distributing diapers to 30 partner sites across Central California.
“As a result of the pandemic, CCFB developed new relationships to be able to increase operational reach and meet more neighbors in need. During 2020, we partnered with Neighborhood Industries to provide home food delivery to individuals sheltering in place. And when volunteer numbers waned in the early months of the pandemic, relationships with Fresno Mission and Fresno EOC Conservations Corps provided the foundation to launch a workforce development program that provided much-needed warehouse support to assemble food boxes distributed through a variety of programs. This workforce development program is still in place today.”
The financial upset caused by the pandemic has affected many people’s ability to feed their families. “When the pandemic hit, many households were unprepared to take a reduction in pay due to lost jobs or reduced hours.” The sharp rise in unemployment coupled with additional childcare challenges due to school closures yielded “an increase of individuals who had never had to access our services before. Today, we are serving 25% more neighbors than we were pre‑pandemic. Although conditions around the pandemic have improved, we anticipate this elevated need will continue into the future.”
Like many charities, CCFB has adapted its offerings to help individuals who are struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “In response to the pandemic, in May of 2020, CCFB launched Groceries2Go, an online appointment-based grocery pick-up program that targets the needs of the elderly and immunocompromised by providing access to a contactless grocery pick‑up at 1 of 13 locations in Fresno and Tulare County,” for example. “The pandemic forced older adults out of the workforce due to increased health and safety risks, so CCFB implemented programming to meet their needs, which included providing medically tailored food boxes to high-risk seniors.”
Such are the instances where CCFB was made aware of a lesser-known facet and was then able to employ a means of addressing minute community needs. “As these programs were implemented and we engaged in more frequent opportunities for neighbor and member feedback, we shifted food offerings to focus on more comprehensive meals, including more dairy, protein, and food that is culturally appropriate,” the ladies share. “Although these programs were started in response to the pandemic, they meet a gap in services, and we are committed to continuing these foundational programs into the future.”
CCFB’s future is about to be built at Fresno’s southern end. “We are excited to announce that we will be breaking ground on a 15,000 sq. ft. Volunteer Center in early 2022. We anticipate that this Volunteer Center will be operational later that year,” announces CCFB. “This project has been years in the making, and we are excited to offer a dedicated space to welcome the over 6,000 volunteers that help us feed over 350,000 people every single month.” Furthermore, CCFB states, “Housed in this new Volunteer Center will also be a protein repack room—the first and only of its kind on the West Coast. This innovative repack room will allow the food bank to accept and repack animal protein donations and provide more comprehensive meals to our neighbors that seek our services.”
CCFB is taking huge, progressive strides, yet the needs of those they serve continue to grow. “Central California Food Bank needs your voice, your time, and your resources to meet the growing need. You can make an impact immediately by using your platform and relationships to raise awareness about hunger in Central California,” the
Co-CEOs advocate, citing that an astounding 1 in 4 neighbors and 1 in 3 children struggle with food insecurity. From time to treasure, everyone can further CCFB’s cause. “For every dollar donated, CCFB can provide up to 7 meals. In order to maintain current programming levels, we are looking for individuals to sign up for Feed365, our monthly donation program. No other investment will go further to meet the needs of hungry neighbors.”
Whether you are looking to serve or are in need of help, there are numerous ways to get in touch with Central California Food Bank. “CCFB could not do what we do without the support of community volunteers. If you are interested in exploring volunteer opportunities, please visit our website at www.ccfoodbank.org and sign up today,” they ask. “If you are a neighbor in need of support, you can visit www.ccfoodbank.org/findfood to find a distribution near you or dial 211 to talk to a customer support representative that can provide you with additional information.” Together with CCFB, the Central Valley will hunger no more.
Headquarters
4010 East Amendola Drive
Fresno, CA 93725
559.237.3663
