Second Harvest of Silicon Valley

Throwback Thursday! 🌟 Did you know that in 1974, The Food Bank started with a retired nine-year-old military pickup truck with a shaky clutch, delivering nearly 7,000 lbs of food in our first month? Our team was small but mighty, with just a director, a driver, a secretary, and a warehouse worker. Fast forward to today, and we now operate a fleet of 35 trucks! Last year alone, we distributed an average of 10 million pounds of food each month – that’s more than 250 truckloads! 🚚 💪 #ThrowbackThursday

🌽 Our warehouse is bursting with golden goodness! Did you know corn is packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants? We’re dedicated to providing nutritious options for all. #50YearsofNourishment

“The people are wonderful here. The volunteers are super nice, they’re welcoming, they’re organized, and everything goes smoothly. And they like petting my dog." - Kevin Willie is a rescue dog from Arizona who lives in Half Moon Bay with his owner, Kevin. Together, they frequent a free grocery site distribution in San Mateo County. He shares, "Don’t be shy to come out and get food. There’s no judgment. It’s just people helping people.” #50YearsofCommunity

Celebrate Independence Day by making a difference! 🇺🇸❤️ 1 in 6 in our community relies on Second Harvest. Help us reach our $15,000 goal, with every donation matched until August 15 by a generous Silicon Valley family. #FourthOfJuly Double your impact: https://lnkd.in/gKGqEe7X

Meet Randy! 🌟 At 75, this Marine Corps veteran from Okinawa, originally from Detroit but raised in the Bay Area, is grateful for the support he receives from our food bank. Despite spinal stenosis since July 2023, he stays strong with the help of his brother who drives him here. 🚗 Randy appreciates the effort we put into providing nutritious food, especially the fresh fruit he loves! 🍎🍌 “It saves us a lot of money to get food here,” he says. Join us in celebrating and supporting community members like Randy who make our work so rewarding. #50YearsofCommunity

🍎 Nourishing our communities is at the heart of what food banks do day-in and day-out. The charitable food system began to address food insecurity and alleviate food waste and has now evolved into a network of food banks and pantries providing access to nutritious foods, robust nutrition education and additional safety-net resources. As we evolve with how we show up for our communities, the language we use is evolving too. Read about the importance of nutrition security in nourishing our communities in our latest blog post: https://lnkd.in/gmc6kybP

Congrats to Tracy Weatherby, our Vice President of Strategy and Advocacy, for being named one of Silicon Valley Business Journal's Women of Influence! With over 30 years of dedication to creating impactful community relationships, Tracy has been a powerhouse in advocating for food security and systemic change. From leading strategic initiatives at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley to championing universal school meals, her tireless efforts ensure every child has the nourishment they need to thrive. Tracy, your unwavering commitment inspires us all! #WomenOfInfluence #CommunityImpact #LeadershipExcellence

Reflecting on a year full of heartfelt memories as we conclude the fiscal year. 🎞️📽️🧡 #50YearsofCommunity #InsideOut

In January, we met Najla, a political refugee from Afghanistan. Initially, Najla, her husband Aaqil, and their two-year-old son Armin were staying at an extended-stay hotel near our food distribution. Six months later, we learned that they moved into their new apartment on the west side of San Jose. Najla shared she misses the community that she had among other Afghans who were living back at the extended stay hotel. Aaqil works a lot, and Najla is home alone most days entertaining Armin. In her loneliness, she says she has stopped pursuing her online education in computer sciences because she lost the motivation. Instead, Najla explains, “I want to work,” to contribute to household expenses, but it has been tough finding in-person employment opportunities that fit her husband’s work schedule. In Afghanistan, Najla dreamed of driving, which women couldn't do under the Taliban. Now, she has her driver’s permit and practices in empty parking lots. Aaqil proudly mentioned she recently drove them to a nearby grocery store. They have been buying food because they did not realize that free food from Second Harvest was available at distributions all over San Jose. They have been connected to our Food Connection team for support. #RefugeeStories

We are proud to provide nutritious produce and groceries to our neighbors, thanks to the generosity of our community. Here’s a glimpse of what our clients receive at local food distributions. 🥕🍎 As summer begins, hundreds of thousands of kids lose access to school meals, driving a record-high need for food assistance in Silicon Valley. Currently, 1 in 6 of our neighbors relies on Second Harvest. With rising food and fuel costs, our budget is under pressure, and community donations are down. 🚚 We urgently need to raise $4 million by June 30 to meet our $71 million goal. Your support today can directly benefit your community, helping neighbors and nonprofit partners access free, nutritious food. Make a tangible difference in your community now: https://shfb.online/donate 🌟🍽️