When school’s out for summer break, children living in poverty stop receiving free meals at school and face hunger at home. If their parents work in low-wage jobs or are unemployed, these families often turn to food banks to tide them over.
Summer is when the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank sees a big spike in people needing food assistance, and yet that’s also when food donations drop dramatically.
That’s why we are teaming up with the San Diego Food Bank, Sycuan and Wells Fargo Bank to launch the annual School’s Out, Hunger’s Not Summer Food Drive. In San Diego County, nearly half a million people face food insecurity, and of those, more than 160,000 are children, according to the Food Bank.
We have a long history of partnership with the Food Bank to help those in need. Mitch Mitchell, our vice president of state governmental affairs and external affairs, serves on the Food Bank's Advisory Board and is featured in the Summer Food Drive commercials. Many of our employees have volunteered at the Food Bank or have made donations to the Food Bank through payroll deductions.
The Summer Food Drive campaign runs June 1 through July 2. We invite everyone to join us to help feed thousands of children struggling with food insecurity.
Here’s How You Can Help
During the month of June, visit your local Albertsons or Vons supermarket and donate a $5 hunger bag of pre-filled groceries at checkout. Each bag will be sent to the Food Bank. You can also donate individual food items in the Food Bank's red food drive barrels located at the front of the store.
Donate Online
Make your donations go even further with an online contribution. For every $1 donated, the Food Bank can provide 5 meals to families in need. To donate online, click here.