SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–San Diego County Albertsons and Vons supermarkets are partnering with the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank to help fill its shelves this summer through the School’s Out, Hunger’s Not Summer Food Drive sponsored by SDG&E and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.
Over the summer months, food drive donations to the San Diego Food Bank drop dramatically. However, demand for food assistance soars with thousands of low-income school children no longer receiving free or reduced-priced school meals, thus forcing unemployed and low-income parents to turn to the San Diego Food Bank for help feeding their children. Albertsons and Vons supermarkets are helping to fill the gap by supporting the School’s Out, Hunger’s Not Summer Food Drive, which will run throughout June 2016.
SDG&E and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, long-time supporters of the San Diego Food Bank, are sponsoring this year’s summer food drive campaign to ensure that the organization has the resources needed to feed the thousands of families with children in San Diego County who will rely on its services.
“The San Diego Food Bank is instrumental to helping combat the fight against hunger in San Diego’s various communities,” said Mitch Mitchell, vice president of state governmental affairs and external affairs for SDG&E. “Supporting the School’s Out, Hunger’s Not initiative is a natural extension of SDG&E’s community mission and commitment to caring for our neighbors.”
The San Diego Food Bank is encouraging the community to support the food drive by donating pre-filled $5 bags of groceries that contain some of its most-needed food items. After purchasing the pre-filled food bags, customers are asked to place the bags in the designated, famous red food drive barrels at the front of the store.
“There is always a focus around the holidays, but the reality is that the Food Bank needs food 365 days a year,” said Lori Raya, Southern California Division President for Albertsons and Vons. “Our goal is to help them when they need it the most, over the summer months, when thousands of San Diego County school children are no longer receiving free school meals.”
“Albertsons, Vons, SDG&E and Sycuan have been outstanding long-term supporters of the Food Bank, and their help this summer will shore up our food supply so we can meet the spike in demand from families with children who are living in poverty,” said Jim Floros, president & CEO of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. “Our goal is to make giving easy so we can meet the demand for assistance, which is why we also created a virtual food drive on our website. Those wishing to give can simply select the food items they wish to donate and pay securely using a credit card. With the community’s help, we will prevent children in San Diego County from going hungry this summer.”
The Jacobs and Cushman families, both part of the Jewish community, are major donors to the Food Bank.
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Preceding based on material sent by the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)