Merced County Food Bank to open Saturdays to help working families in need

The Merced County Food Bank is extending its hours to Saturdays in order to reach more people who have been financially affected by the drought, officials have confirmed.

Merced County residents enrolled in the Drought Food Assistance Program, or DFAP, will be able to pick up 30-pound boxes of food from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays, said Bill Gibbs, executive director of the Merced County Food Bank.

The food boxes contain nonperishable foods such as canned vegetables, fruit and meat, Gibbs said. Applesauce, peanut butter, pasta and oatmeal are other options, as well as any fresh produce on hand.

The food bank, on Olive Avenue, has been open Monday to Friday, but “many people” have been knocking on their door after hours, Gibbs said.

“We were getting a lot of feedback from people saying it’s not convenient for working families to come to the food bank during normal working hours because it was normal working hours for them,” Gibbs said.

DFAP is a temporary food assistance program developed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2014 as a response to the drought in California. Merced County residents who have lost their jobs or had hours reduced due to the drought are eligible to enroll. No documentation is needed.

The Saturday hours will continue until the DFAP program ends, expected in August, Gibbs said. The food bank may consider remaining open Saturdays depending on the community’s needs and how much food is available, he said.

On average, the food bank gives out 12,000 DFAP food boxes each month, he said.

Many people will be affected when the program ends, he said, and the food bank is preparing by working to reach out to the community and organizations for food or monetary donations.

“When that goes away, there is still going to be a need for food,” Gibbs said. “We’re trying to develop new relationships with companies or individuals that want to help with hunger issues.”

Fifty other locations around the county give out DFAP boxes, Gibbs said. Individuals can call 209-726-3663 to find a location nearby.

This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Merced County Food Bank to open Saturdays to help working families in need."