For Immediate Release

May 1, 2009

SANTA ROSA, May 1 - The Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB) launched its annual summer hunger drive on May 1 as the worst economic recession to hit the U.S. in generations continues to force more people and families to turn to food pantries for hunger relief.

"Last year at this time is was gas prices topping $4 a gallon and the high cost of food," said David Goodman, executive director of the REFB. "This year, it's the collapse of our economy. With the Sonoma County unemployment rate approaching 10 percent the lines of people needing help to feed their families are growing."

"The need is immediate and increasing," he said "Food donations go immediately on our shelves or out to pantries in Sonoma Valley, Petaluma, the West County, Healdsburg, Windsor and here in Santa Rosa."

Goodman also encouraged donors to consider cash contributions.

"With our 5,000 volunteers who help process our food resources, we have a distribution and collection system that enables us to distribute $5 worth of food for very dollar we spend to provide healthy vegetables and other staples," he said.

The annual effort to collect food and cash donations runs May 1 through July. The goal is to raise $10,000 in cash and 30,000 lbs. of non-perishable food.

The REFB is the largest food bank serving the North Coast of California from Marin County to Oregon. Working with 133 partner agencies in every town in the county, the REFB provides food to 60,000 Sonoma County residents each month. The REFB also is the primary resource for food pantries and other hunger relief agencies in Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties.

The number of people needing hunger relief began growing dramatically last year as the recession was just beginning. By the end of last fiscal year, food distributions to meet demand had increased 20 percent and now the REFB is on track to increase distributions by as much as 16 percent more by this July 1.

Meanwhile, the cost of nutritious food keeps going up and contributions made to the REFB during last winter are nearly exhausted.

"Every thing points to more people needing more help, and thus our annual summer food drive is especially important this year," said Goodman.

Food donations may be made at grocery stores where REFB barrels are located, including G & G Supermarkets and Santa Rosa Grocery Outlet on Fourth Street and College Avenue in Santa Rosa. Barrels will be located at Safeway stores countywide from July 1 through the first week in August. Food may be donated at all Starbuck's coffee outlets in the county. Zone Music in Cotati is collecting food. Sonoma Valley YMCA in Santa Rosa collects donations as does Sonoma Bank in Oakmont.

Miriam Hodgman, REFB Food & Funds Drive Coordinator, said many businesses, non profits and other organizations also are conducting in-house food drives including Shambhala Meditation at Lincoln Arts Center in Santa Rosa, State Farm Insurance in Rohnert Park, Sutter Medical Center ICU Nurses, the Redwood Club, Petaluma, Tone Pilates, Santa Rosa, and the Redwood Community Health Coalition, Santa Rosa. Equity Office Properties has five barrels in its offices, and Keller-Williams Realty has 10 barrels.
 
Individuals, groups and businesses wanting to host a food drive should call Hodgman at 707-523-7900 Ext. 27, or via email, mhodgman@refb.org.

Bags of food also can be dropped off at REFB headquarters, 3320 Industrial Drive in Santa Rosa.
 
For people wanting to make cash donations, there are several options:

For information on the food drive, call Hodgman at 707-523-7900, ext 27.

For more information on the Redwood Empire Food Bank, call David Goodman, 707-523-7900.