​​​​​CalFresh Awareness Month 

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May is CalFresh Awareness Month, and we’re spreading the word about how CalFresh works to help ensure that all of us in Alameda County have the food we need to be nourished and thriving. Visit foodnow.net to learn more about CalFresh and how you can see if you qualify and foodnow.net/cfam for our toolkit to spread the word about this vital resource. 

Looking to get involved with CalFresh outreach as a volunteer? We’re looking for bilingual volunteers to help us get the word out at community events. Email volunteer@accfb.org for more information.  

Night on The Town is June 5  

We're thrilled to be in community with Oakland Museum of California during Friday Nights with OMCA and Off the Grid. We hope we will see you there on June 5 at the Oakland Museum of California for Night on The Town from 5-9 pm. Come out to learn and engage with different parts of the Food Bank in a night of community, connection, and fun!  

You can show up night-of to experience the event on your own or sign up to volunteer behind-the-scenes (volunteers will get food vouchers for Off the Grid). Please reach out to volunteer@accfb.org if you're interested in volunteering on June 5. 

Annual Pride Day of Service: June 6 

This year’s annual Pride Day of Service at ACCFB will be one to remember! We hope you can join the morning shift (8:30 - 11 am) or afternoon shift (1-3 pm). And don’t miss out on a very special program and lunch from 11 am - 1 pm. We invite the morning shift to stay after, and the afternoon shift to come early to celebrate and connect during the lunch festivities.  

See you on Saturday, June 6 for a day of pride, belonging, community, joy, and service!

See You at the County Fair on July 1  

Join us at the Alameda County Fair — Feed the Need Food Drive on Wednesday, July 1 from 2-5 pm. Bring 4 non-perishable items for ONE (1) FREE admission into the county fair! Especially helpful items to bring are canned tuna, canned chicken, low sugar cereal, peanut butter, pasta, rice, and ready to eat meals (easy open cans or pouches).

Feed the Need Food Drive helps ensure that all of us have the food we need to thrive through the summer months and gives fairgoers and volunteers an opportunity to support their community AND have fun! 

Volunteers from Patelco Credit Union and the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 342 have been crucial in making this food drive event a success! Over the years Feed the Need Food Drive has collected 312,877 pounds! 

If you would like to lend your support and collect food donations at the Alameda County Fair Food Drive — please sign up and select your shift and email FoodDrive@accfb.org with any questions. ​​​​​

Philip and Shantha, We Miss You Already   

Philip and Shantha on their last day volunteering with ACCFB 

Philip and Shantha Ursell have volunteered over 2,400 combined hours since they started in 2020. But their impact has been so much more than the hours or even the thousands and thousands of pounds of food they’ve sorted and processed. Fellow volunteers were quick to share their words of appreciation for Philip and Shantha: 

“They just feel like family. We’re sad to see them go.” -Limmie Sims 

“When I think of them, what I think of is grace because they come here every morning, just by their presence and the way they say hello, and the work ethic is off the chart, they just are an absolute joy to be around.”
-John Cortesi  

“They just exude energy, they have great wit, a great comradery... It permeates the area. It touches everyone here and everyone they come to contact with.” -Patty Cook  

“They’re just really generous, they’re just wonderful people, they’re just part of the fabric of the vol team.” -Sony Yip 

Philip and Shantha’s last regular volunteer shift took place at the end of April. We’re excited for them in their next chapter, and have endless gratitude for the warmth, dedication and support they’ve brought to ACCFB.

Hunger Action Day: Fund Food First    

Advocates at the State Capitol on Hunger Action Day

On April 21, a group of ACCFB community members and advocates, traveled to Sacramento for California Hunger Action Day. Our message was clear: California needs to fund food first so all of us have the opportunity to thrive! 

In meetings with staff members from the offices of Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Jesse Arreguín, Senator Jerry McNerney, Senator Aisha Wahab, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, and Assemblymember Alex Lee, advocates shared about the real-life impact that legislation has on their communities.  

Thank you for your support and involvement in ACCFB’s advocacy work to address hunger and its root causes. If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to send a message to Governor Newsom and your State Legislators urging them to pass critical anti-hunger policy. And make sure you’re signed up for our action alerts to stay in the loop about our latest advocacy efforts and see how you can stay involved.  

We thank you for your support of the work of Alameda County Community Food Bank.
Stay safe and be well.