HELPING HANDS PROGRAM

Feeding the Hungry from the STEAC Food Pantry

STEAC lends a helping hand by providing every day needs for the most vulnerable residents in Davis. STEAC has been distributing food in Davis since 1971.

STEAC Food Programs Facts (FY 2020-2021)

How can you help?

• Join over 570 volunteer donors who contribute food every two months through the STEAC Food Project.
• Join our community partners like: Boy and Girl Scouts, Postal Workers, Davis Realtors, schools and religious organizations during their food drives, or sponsor a food drive.
• Donate money to STEAC's food programs online or by sending a check in the mail. A $50 donation buys 25 meals for a STEAC Food Pantry client.
• Join over 75 volunteers who staff and support the STEAC Food Pantry, providing food to clients. Volunteer Application

SOURCE OF FOOD

STEAC relies on several major food drives, direct purchases, and direct donations to supply the STEAC Food Pantry.

The food drives are sponsored by groups like the Boy and Girl Scouts of America, the US Postal Service, the congregation of Bet Haverim, the public schools in Davis, Davis realtors, and the Davis Covenant Church. In addition, the STEAC Food Project, started in 2015, is an important and growing source of donated food from the Davis community.

Direct purchases are made at the following locations: Grocery Outlet in Davis, Food 4 Less in Woodland, The Davis Food Co-op, and the Yolo County Food Bank in Woodland.

Direct donations are made by various groups, organizations, and individuals. These include St. Martins' Church, Davis Methodist Church, and Davis Lutheran Church, the Nugget Market, Panera, Community Harvest of Davis, and the Davis Farmers' Market.

THE STEAC FOOD PROJECT

To provide a more stable source of food donations and meet the growing demand from individuals, family and homeless, the STEAC Food Project has been created. The project is modeled after a neighborhood-based efforts being used with great success in over 40 communities in the U.S. and Canada.

Benefits of the STEAC Food Project:

• It increases the quality and quantity of food collected and provides a regular supply to supplement our food drives.
• It broadens community support for STEAC's Food Pantry.
• It allows STEAC to expand perishable food purchases by reducing nonperishable food costs.

For more information about the STEAC Food Project, and how to get involved, CLICK HERE

CLIENTS OF THE STEAC FOOD PANTRY

Client Profile

• Clients are Davis residents and a small group of Winters families.
• The majority of the clients are families with children or impoverished seniors.
• Recent Examples: (1) A low-income family of five recently relocated to Davis. They applied for benefits in Yolo County but red tape held up the process. STEAC's Food Pantry was the only resource they had for receiving food for the family; (2) After realizing a student was missing meals, a school teacher referred a family who received food immediately from STEAC's Food Pantry.

Client Appointment Process

• All clients are served by appointment only; clients are screened and referred by local social service agencies.
• Clients can receive this service no more than once per month.
• The Food Pantry is staffed by over 50 volunteers who meet the clients and pack the food.
• Clients pick up food and do not linger as much of their food is perishable and must be refrigerated.
• Clients are directed verbally and through signage, to arrive at the church and proceed down the driveway through the parking lot to the location of the Food Pantry.

Personal Stories from Volunteers

• A single mother who grew up on a farm and appreciated fresh produce called to say she was so thankful for the farmers market vegetables provided by the Food Pantry. It was the first time her refrigerator had been full in weeks and she was able to feed her children a healthy meal.
• A single mother whose husband abandoned her and her four children told the volunteer that the food made all the difference in their lives. She was sincerely grateful. Her smile was a great "thank you" for the volunteer.
• An elderly man in his 80's came to the Food Pantry. After a few minutes he began to share World War II stories with the volunteer who guessed she might have been the only person he had spoken to that day. He was a sweet man and the volunteer was moved by his stories, knowing that he was proud to be a veteran and that it was probably hard for him to ask for food.
• One volunteer was told it was the birthday of the 6-year old boy of the family she was helping. Rather than offer them a cake mix, she took it upon herself to pick up a freshly backed cake on her way to the Food Pantry. The family, and especially the little boy, were very touched by her kind gesture.
• Several volunteers commented that the best part of working at the STEAC Food Pantry is seeing how sincerely thankful the families are, the smiles they receive, and the gratitude expressed for the sincere kindness shown individually to each person who is helped.