GILROY—As much as farmers rely on water to keep crops alive, food banks depend on a steady supply of cheap, nutritious fruits and vegetables to fill the tables of needy families.
But production cuts in the Salinas and Central valleys caused by the ongoing drought has food banks concerned that fresh produce once headed for free distribution centers such as St. Joseph’s Family Center and the Salvation Army in Gilroy will go instead to grocery chains as supplies drop.
At Second Harvest Food Bank, which distributed 30 million pounds of fruits and vegetables in 2014, the concern is real as California’s lack of rain—entering its fourth year.
“When we made a choice as a food bank to emphasize nutritious foods and to source as much produce as we do, we made ourselves vulnerable to the same kinds of (weather) risks farmers have to deal with,” Second Harvest CEO Kathy Jackson said Tuesday.
“We’re worried about a lot of the row crops we rely upon like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. It’s not sexy stuff but it’s really important from a nutritional standpoint and it is going to be tougher to get” because of the drought, she said.
Already the drought has forced Second Harvest to reach outside the Golden State’s borders to maintain food supplies—particularly of apples and potatoes.
More than 173,000 Santa Clara County residents, mostly low-income households, depend on the nonprofit as a source of nutrition.
In Gilroy, 500 to 600 families receive nutritional assistance through Second Harvest each week at St. Joseph’s, according to pantry coordinator Vicky Martin.
St. Joseph’s is one of three distribution sites in the Garlic Capital where produce is given out at no charge.
Growers in the Central Valley donate most of the fruits and vegetables that end up filling local pantries, Jackson said.
Typically, they supply the organization with fresh B-grade produce that might have cosmetic flaws or an odd shape, but has the same nutritional value as the better looking, blemish-free A-grade fruits and vegetables.
Jackson said she would not be surprised if grocery stores lower their cosmetic standards to accommodate the drop in production caused by the drought, thereby leaving less of the B-grade food available for food banks.
“Because we’re at the bottom of the food chain we’re going to lose,” Jackson said. “There will be less produce available for donation and it’s difficult to replace the lost pounds by going out and just buying pounds.”
Growers in the Central Valley have partnered with Second Harvest to provide the organization with produce while the nonprofit helps cover some production costs, reimbursement that ranges between 8 and 12 cents per pound, Jackson said.
“You could easily spend a dollar on a bell pepper if you went to the grocery store,” she said, but Second Harvest does not have the means to cover the potential “millions” in increased costs to buy at higher prices.
• More than 173,000 Santa Clara County residents—or roughly 9 percent of the population—receive nutritional assistance in the form of food from the Second Harvest Food Bank each week
• Produce is distributed in Gilroy at three locations: St. Joseph’s Family Center, the Salvation Army and the Gilroy Compassion Center
• In 2014, the organization distributed 30 million pounds of fresh produce—most donated by Central Valley growers
Source: Kathy Jackson, CEO of the Second Harvest Food Bank
