Food Share tells Chamber of Commerce
of programs to feed the needy
April 24, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Food Share is sharing more than food throughout Ventura County: the nonprofit organization is also working with families to teach them about good nutrition while easing the fear of feeding a household while dealing with other important life issues.
Representatives of the Oxnard-based Food Share were the featured program at the Chamber of Commerce’s Good Morning Santa Paula April breakfast meeting.
Suzy Cummings, executive administrative assistant, Jillian Wade, the donor relations manager, Karen Jensen who is the director of food sourcing and Jessica Entrekin, Food Share events manager did a tag-team presentation of the organization, that in 2012-2013 had an almost $20 million annual budget used to feed about 74,500 people each month.
Some programs such as Brown Bag target the elderly providing a nutritious meal and SPIRIT of Santa Paula’s Many Meals is also a recipient of Food Share donations.
Established in 1983 Food Share is the largest single provider of food and support to the hungry of Ventura County, distributing over 9 million pounds of food per year working with its 180-plus partners, government programs and outreach programs, the latter including a new mobile food distribution unit.
The organization receives food and monetary donations from individual contributions, corporations, foundations, grants, the USDA, and Ventura County’s generous agricultural community as well as those with a fruit tree in their yard that are inclined to share with those less fortunate.
Hunger is a critical issue that must be addressed — without food other services and programs to help the needy would be in vain.
Food Share also helps in other ways helping families qualify for Cal-Fresh, the former government food stamp program that generates $7.5 million back into the local economy.
The Food Share representatives also noted the new mobile panty helps the organization to “Get into places that are difficult to get through,” and also acts as a 27 foot long kitchen on wheels that can also be used to teach nutrition.
It is expected Food Share will provide 8 million meals in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, and more than 90 percent of recipients are working families.
Food Share has 42 paid employees and 400 volunteers, the latter a number that can be boosted to 1,200 volunteers at the holidays.
Food Share also has a widely known gleaning program to help in their quest to feed others as well as a free farmers market program to further advance their belief that food must also be fresh and nutritious.
For more information visit www.foodshare.com
