Volunteers at Shiloh Mercy House
Shiloh Mercy House, a Food Bank partner in Oakland, is continually refining their food distribution model to center community choice, dignity, and integrity for all who visit.
At weekly farmers market-style distributions, clients can choose from a selection of food, most of which is produce, in addition to dry goods and staples. At their indoor distribution center, families can pick up refrigerated items such as protein and dairy daily from refrigerators funded by a 2020 grant that was awarded through ACCFB.
Cheung Sing Szeto at Shiloh Mercy House
For Cheung Sing Szeto, access to these distributions is a reliable and helpful way to get a variety of food for himself and his family. He says, “This distribution is convenient for me because I have a leg injury and can’t walk too far. I come here every week.” He adds, “The grocery store is really expensive. I like the vegetables, eggs, and meat I get here. I use them to cook dishes like cabbage and chicken.”
Community feedback has driven decisions to include more produce at distributions and to ensure that culturally relevant foods are available, like hot sauce that matches community preferences. With monthly outreach events on distribution days, community members can also learn about and apply for CalFresh (California’s name for the federal SNAP program) benefits when they visit Shiloh Mercy House.
Jeanne Allen at Shiloh Mercy House
“I come every Wednesday because this food really helps my family a lot. It means a lot. And what I can’t use in my house I give it to my neighbors because everybody’s suffering. You know, it’s hard,” says Jeanne Allen, a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who visits Shiloh Mercy House distributions each week to gather food to cook for her family and neighbors.
