The San Diego Food Bank Hosts the Fifth Annual Food Drive Recognition Ceremony
March 11, 2022
Today, the San Diego Food Bank and our North County Food Bank chapter held our fifth annual Food Drive Recognition Ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of our food drive partners.
As Food Bank Interim CEO and CFO Casey Castillo said in his thank you video to honorees, "The Food Bank receives food through a variety of ways, but one of our most community-centered methods is through food drives. Whether you hosted a physical food drive, a virtual food drive, or both, it all has truly made a difference in the lives of San Diegans facing food insecurity."
"Whether you hosted a physical food drive, a virtual food drive, or both, it all has truly made a difference in the lives of San Diegans facing food insecurity." - Food Bank Interim CEO and CFO, Casey Castillo
Food drive donations are critical to our operations and represent a significant source of food for our overall food supply. Other food sources include wholesale food purchase and fresh rescue. Fresh rescue enables grocery stores, cafeterias and restaurants to donate surplus food to the Food Bank.
Last year, the Food Bank received nearly four million pounds in food drive donations, almost twice as much as the previous year, thanks to the tireless work of community partners like those being recognized at the ceremony.
The donated food, which includes a variety of shelf-stable items like canned tuna, canned soups, jars of peanut butter, and much more, will go a long way in helping the 550,000 people we currently serve, including low-income military families, seniors living on fixed incomes, and children living in poverty.
During the drive-through ceremony, we honored food drive leaders by welcoming them with balloons, gifting them goodie bags and having each honoree pose for a photo with the Food Bank's executive team.
Leaders came from across the county and included local radio stations, the Boy Scouts, and local businesses.
Thank you to the 47 honorees that stepped up to fight hunger in San Diego County (listed
below):
School Partner Award
2022 Awardees:
Marie Curie Elementary School
Scripps Ranch High School
Torrey Pines High School
One-Day Food Drive Award
2022 Awardees:
Bay Park Food Drive
John & Tammy Food Fund, 103.7 KSON
San Diego Bowl Game Association
Top Newcomer Award
2022 Awardees:
AmazonSingular Genomics
Soapy Joe's
Best in Healthcare Partner Award
2022 Awardees:
Kaiser Permanente
San Diego Blood Bank
Sharp HealthCare
Best in Housing Partner Award 2022 Awardees:
Garden Communities Greystar
Best Ongoing Food Drive or "365 Drive" Award
2022 Awardees:Talmadge Food Drive
Dairy Queen - Carmel Mountain
The Elizabeth Hospice
Best in Beverage Partner Award
2022 Awardees:Ballast Point Brewing
Bird Rock Coffee
Starbucks
Virtual Food Drive Award
2022 Awardees:
BNBuilders
CalCoast Credit Union
Cibus
Escient Pharmaceuticals
Fish & Richardson, LLP
Fall Food Drive Award
2022 Awardees:
Barons Market
Local Media San Diego
NBC 7 San Diego
Scouting for Hunger Food Drive Award
2022 Awardees:
Boy Scouts of San Diego and Imperial Counties
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Food Drive Award
2022 Awardees:
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ideal Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical
Summer Food Drive Award
2022 Awardees:
Albertsons Vons
Audacy, Inc.
CBS News 8
PNC Bank
San Diego Gas & Electric
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
Thank you to all awardees for your hard work and dedication to fighting food insecurity in San Diego County!
The Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank serves a vital role for the one in three people in San Diego County who suffer from nutrition insecurity. To host a food drive click here and to learn more about our Virtual Food Drives, click here.
If you or someone you know is in need of food assistance, please use our GPS Food Locator Map at SanDiegoFoodBank.org/GetHelp.
