How the Central California Food Bank works with local organizations to fight food insecurity

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A new poll shows that the majority of U.S. adults are feeling stress and anxiety about the price of groceries.

With costs going up, the Central California Food Bank is seeing more people in need of food.

Neighbors in central Fresno come to the United Christian Church off Shields and Channing Avenue for its monthly food distribution.

"We've been doing this for a couple of years now," said James Horg, the acting pastor of the church. "We work with the food bank, and we do this on the first Monday of every month. We pass out whatever they have available to the neighborhood and to those who need it."

At the distribution, volunteers bag and hand out food -- everything from fresh produce to lunch meat. The church partners with the Central California Food Bank.

Horg says the goal is to make sure no one goes hungry.

"There's a real need for feeding people," said Horg. "There are a lot of people out there who are hungry and aren't getting taken care of."

Anthony Zataray is a volunteer and has come to food distributions when he needs help. He sees how it eases the burden not just for himself, but for others, too.

"This is one more little thing that they don't have to worry about," said Horg. "Sometimes they get really good vegetables and fruit, and they enjoy that kind of stuff. It'll take a little bit less out of their pocket."

The Central California Food Bank serves over 320,000 families from Madera all the way to Kern County. Chanel Ruiz-Mendez, the Development Director, says the biggest need is during the summer and winter.

"In the summertime, you have two, three, four, five more mouths to feed in the household," said Ruiz-Mendez. "That's a lot on hardworking families. We see an increase of up to 25% during the summer months."

CCFB works with over 260 organizations, like United Christian, to fight food insecurity. The food bank says that for every dollar donated, it can help provide up to four meals.

"We are not immune to inflation," said Ruiz-Mendez. "Our budget has nearly doubled since the pandemic because of inflation."

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