This holiday season Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is serving more people than ever before. That’s because hunger is a hidden consequence of the housing crisis as families sacrifice nutritious food to pay for rent and other basic necessities. To ensure that everyone in our community can get the healthy food they need to thrive, Second Harvest has set a goal of raising $19 million during its holiday campaign.
“Donating to Second Harvest offers a way for people to come together and join in the most basic act of kindness: sharing food,” said Leslie Bacho, CEO for Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. “Even people who never thought they would need help before are finding they can’t afford to buy healthy groceries, but we know they face barriers to accessing food. Some people have no idea where to go, or they can’t make it to our distributions due to work schedules or limited transportation, while others don’t seek help because of the stigma or shame. The community’s support will help us break down these barriers so we can reach more people with nutritious food.”
Last year, Second Harvest, which is one of 10 nonprofits supported by The Almanac’s Holiday Fund, provided enough food for more than 58 million meals, half of which was fresh produce. The food bank partners with 310 nonprofit organizations to distribute nutritious groceries in nearly every neighborhood in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties — a total of 1,000 sites. Second Harvest depends on donations because it is one of only a few food banks in the nation that does not charge its partners for the food it provides.
“We have to do more to make sure people get the help they need, and they don’t feel afraid or ashamed to get it,” Bacho said. “We are providing food at more places, and making sure those who need help feel welcome. But we need the community’s support. You have the power to change lives because nutritious food is so critical — we all need it to stay healthy and engaged.
Natasha is one local mom who is grateful for the help she received from Second Harvest. “Kids don’t need expensive toys and entertainment to be happy,” she said. “But they do need nutritious food. It’s the one thing they can’t live without.”
You can help families like Natasha’s by giving to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. Every $10 donated provides the equivalent of 20 nutritious meals.
Anyone who needs food should call Second Harvest’s multilingual Food Connection hotline at 1-800-984-3663.
Donations to The Almanac’s Holiday Fund benefit the Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and nine other nonprofits serving the local community. To donate, use the coupon on Page 12 or go to siliconvalleycf.org/almanac-holiday-fund.
Redwood City attorney sues ‘First Amendment auditors’ after Menlo Park disputeApril 2, 2026 11:31 am
