Valley food banks struggle during drought; local businesses ‘challenged’ to help out

The prolonged drought is hurting donations to San Joaquin Valley food banks, while also increasing the need for help, prompting aid organizations to ask local businesses to lend a helping hand.

The Merced County Food Bank, which serves about 185,000 individuals in Merced and Mariposa counties a year, has seen a significant drop in donations from local farmers, said Ashley Ferreira, office manager.

“We had a few farmers contact us earlier this year to let us know they weren’t going to have the same load they had last year,” she said. “They just aren’t producing as much.”

A farmer who may have been able to donate 12 bins of apricots last year, Ferreira said as an example, could donate only four or five bins this year.

An ongoing drought results in less crop production, which also means fewer jobs. Without jobs, she explained, people have less money for groceries, and more families look to their local food bank for help.

A 2015 report by the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences estimates the drought may cost agriculture and related industries some $2.74 billion statewide, and the loss of close to 21,000 jobs.

To offer some relief, Central Valley Community Bank, based in Fresno, is putting on its second annual Food Fund Challenge, in which it will donate $5,000 to eight food banks throughout Merced, Fresno, Tulare, Madera, San Joaquin and Sacramento counties.

The campaign also challenges local businesses to make contributions to their local food banks. Monetary donations are preferred because qualified food banks can get more bang for their buck. For every dollar raised, food banks are able to buy up to $9 worth of food through bulk-buy partnerships, meaning the contribution from Central Valley Community Bank can power up to $45,000 worth of food, company officials said.

“It’s devastating to see the effect that the drought has had in our agriculturally rich region,” James M. Ford, president and CEO of Central Valley Community Bank, said in an email. “The fact that it has created an increased hunger demand is definitely an issue we want to help change by urging San Joaquin Valley businesses that have not already supported their local food banks to do so now.”

With demand expected to increase during the holiday season, the donations will come at a much needed time, Ferreira said. Although monetary donations are preferred, product donations are also always welcome, she said.

During this time of year, the most requested items at the Merced County Food Bank are canned vegetables, stuffing, mashed potatoes and canned meat, including chicken and tuna. Pasta, pasta sauce, peanut butter and cereal are in demand year-round.

Last year, the Merced County Food Bank provided turkeys to 2,692 households in Merced and Mariposa counties during the holidays with the help of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program and donations. Ferreira said it is still unclear if there will be enough resources to reach as many households this upcoming holiday season.

For more information on how to help, call the Merced County Food Bank at 209-726-3663.

This story was originally published October 6, 2015 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Valley food banks struggle during drought; local businesses ‘challenged’ to help out."