Safeway volunteers at ACCFB in April 2025
Safeway has been headquartered in Alameda County for nearly 100 years, and since 1995, they have partnered with Alameda County Community Food Bank to provide enough food for nearly 5 million meals to neighbors throughout the county. Safeway has shown support through food drives, volunteerism, CalFresh awareness campaigns, food recovery, and impactful grants as part of work to expand food access to everyone.
Through ACCFB’s longstanding partnership with Safeway and NBC, and their Nourishing Neighbors program, the Food Bank has been able to distribute more food, expand outreach efforts, and further engage community members around our mission of ending hunger in Alameda County.
“The partnership with the Alameda County Community Food Bank is the cornerstone of Safeway’s commitment to reducing food insecurity and helping end the cycle of hunger in our communities. Our partnership is inspired by the work we do through the Safeway Foundation Nourishing Neighbors program,” said Wendy Gutshall, Director, Public and Government Affairs at Safeway
The mission of the program is to ensure that children, adults, seniors, and families have access to the food they need to thrive, focusing on a localized approach, working with food banks and hunger relief organizations like ACCFB to ensure the aid is reaching those that need it most in our community.
“This collective effort has had a positive impact, not only providing immediate relief to those facing hunger, but also fostering a sense of community and pride. Over the years, our associates have volunteered their time to help out the food bank and it’s equally important to us as a company to not only support local hunger relief efforts with food donations or financial support but also to dedicate our time to lift up our neighborhoods to help reduce food insecurity,” Gutshall explained.
Nourishing Neighbors and CalFresh Awareness
Nourishing Neighbors provides support for programs that connect individuals and families to SNAP and WIC benefits, including supporting ACCFB’s CalFresh awareness efforts. “CalFresh in particular, is crucial to promote access to essential nutrition assistance programs, and so our support of the Food Bank has helped educate eligible individuals and families about the benefit of CalFresh and helping them navigate the process to ultimately receive the support that they need,” Gutshall says.
Over the years, Safeway Foundation’s support has helped ACCFB expand the reach and impact of our CalFresh outreach program, ensuring that countless individuals and families have received the assistance they need. Gutshall added “The importance of these campaigns lies in the ability to empower people with the knowledge and tools to access nutritious food, also enhancing their quality of life and fostering a healthier, more equitable society.”
SNAP is the first line of defense against hunger in the United States. In Alameda County alone, over 175,000 individuals currently receive benefits, and many more of us are eligible. Visit foodnow.net to learn more about signing up for CalFresh Benefits.
