Every day, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano provides up to 75% of daily groceries for 178,000 individuals – approximately 1 in 9 residents in the region. IBEW 1245 has a long-standing relationship with the Food Bank, and over the past decade, the Executive Board, Advisory Council, members and staff of the union have donated hundreds of hours of volunteer time to support this critical life-saving food program.
Right now, the Food Bank is seeing a massive influx of families in need of food assistance due to large-scale layoffs that have come as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In just the first two weeks of the shelter-in-place order, the Food Bank saw a 50% increase in the number of people at their food distributions, and that number continues to grow every day. Due to limited quantities available through their usual suppliers, the Food Bank has also seen a marked increase in the costs associated with putting together their food boxes.
The Food Bank needs all the resources it can get right now, and their request for donations prompted the IBEW 1245 Executive Board to vote to direct all remaining unused Community Fund monies from 2019 — a total of $36,950 — to the Food Bank. Additionally, several members of the IBEW 1245 staff volunteered to donate vacation time to support the Food Bank, netting another $26,031.54, for a total of $62,981.54. Altogether, this donation will provide 3,149 food boxes for families in need.
Members who wish to make personal tax-deductible donations to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano can do so at https://www.foodbankccs.org/. You can also find a food bank to support in your own community at https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank.