Hollister
– The local distribution point for federal food commodities is
moving.
Hollister – The local distribution point for federal food commodities is moving.
Until now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Food Assistance Program had distributed food to those in need in San Benito County through the Community Pantry at Veterans Memorial Park on the second Monday of every month. The distribution will shift to Community Pantry’s new home at 133 San Felipe Road on Monday, Community Pantry Director Mary Anne Hughes said. The program has provided enough for 380 bags of food to be distributed this month.
“It’s not just for our members,” Hughes said. “It’s for whoever qualifies.”
The program has a history stretching back to the Reagan Administration, Hughes said. The program was set up to better distribute the nation’s unused subsidized agricultural products.
“People discovered there was thousands of pounds of cheese (not being sold or consumed),” Hughes said.
The federal government determines need on a county-by-county basis using unemployment rates and poverty levels. The program handles the distribution through the California Department of Social Services.
Cheese is not the only commodity the government gives away through the program. Frozen chickens, fresh produce and canned goods are just a few of the food items available at the distribution point, Hughes said.
“When they have excess they give it out,” Hughes said.
Community Pantry is also in the middle of its annual holiday food drive. The agency has so far collected 2,290 pounds of food from organizations and businesses, Hughes said.
With the help of Second Harvest in Watsonville, Community Pantry is able to stretch its food and monetary donations. The $12,060 Community Pantry has collected is the equivalent of 36,180 pounds of food, Hughes said.
There are approximately three more weeks for participating businesses to collect food.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected].
