As historic inflation and gas prices force more people to stretch their budgets, the need for food assistance is rising, making the SLO Food Bank’s Hunger Awareness Day all that more important.
Hunger Awareness Day is happening Friday. It’s a way to help the food bank get needed donations while also helping those in need with additional resources to combat hunger.
"This county-wide event allows us the opportunity to not only raise vital funds to support our life-enhancing mission, but it also allows us the opportunity to share what resources are available to those that might be facing hunger,” said Branna Still, SLo Food Bank development director.
Volunteers will be at 10 locations throughout San Luis Obispo County collecting monetary donations and distributing information on the CalFresh program, also known as food stamps.
"This is allowing us to be sure that our food safety net is resilient, robust and able to serve anyone that needs our help,” Still said.
“It really shows the impact of every dollar counts that’s donated to us,” said Claire Levine, development coordinator for the food bank. “You see the one person donating a dollar times, you know, 100 to benefit people in need so it is really great.”
Since the pandemic began, the food bank has seen distributions double, sending out 4.1 million pounds of food in 2021 alone.
The food bank can take each dollar donated and turn it in to seven meals.
"We are here for people in need and we are ready to help…. No matter where you are in the county, you'll still get food,” Levine said.
Donation sites will be open Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. as well as at the San Luis Obispo Blues baseball game in the evening.
For a list of donation sites or more information, click here.
