The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Expands San Francisco Warehouse

Warehouse Expansion Will Supported Continued Elevated Need for Food Assistance

San Francisco, CA (April 29, 2021) – The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank will break ground this Spring to add an additional 32,000 square feet to its San Francisco warehouse facilities. Together with the building it acquired in Marin in 2018, this will allow the Food Bank to distribute 75 million pounds annually from its two primary facilities, serving up to 200,000 people per week.

“When the Food Bank started this project 5 years ago the goal was to build for the future, but it turns out we are building for right now,” said Tanis Crosby, Executive Director San Francisco-Marin Food Bank. “Before the pandemic, the Food Bank was already a vital lifeline for 140,000 people every week. The economic crisis brought on by COVID-19 forced thousands more to turn to us for help. We are no longer renovating just to expand, but to sustain – it’s about creating the space necessary to provide food for our neighbors who are making real, practical choices every day about where they’re spending scarce dollars.”

To reach the thousands who needed food assistance for the first time during the pandemic, the Food Bank cobbled together a combination of tents and rented warehouse space. Managing eight separate warehouses is incredibly complex. In addition to the cost related to space, transportation, and coordination, the Food Bank has been less efficient than it could be if it were all in one location.

The expanded facility – which is expected to open in Spring 2022 – is an opportunity to meet those we weren’t serving before over the long term – not just in crisis. It will include:

• An additional 32,000 square feet, extending into the current parking lot on the north of the facility at 900 Pennsylvania, San Francisco, CA.
• Two additional loading docks, adding 50% more capacity: from 8 inbound trucks per day to 12-15 per day.
• 5,200 square feet of cold storage space.
• The ability to engage up to 500 partner organizations compared to 380 currently.
• Space to host an additional 20,000 volunteers a year.

The newly renovated and purchased building in Marin was completed in early 2020 – that building will serve as a blueprint for our expansion in San Francisco. But to ensure both facilities not only can hold the food need, but pump it directly to where its most needed, the Food Bank needs to raise an additional $3.5 million to fund vitally important infrastructure like the forklifts, trucks, solar panels, and refrigeration systems.

Learn more about the expansion project:

• Fly-thru of the new space
• Photos
• Why the Food Bank is expanding
• About the expansion

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ABOUT THE SAN FRANCISCO-MARIN FOOD BANK

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank’s mission is to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin. Before the pandemic, one in five neighbors was at risk of hunger. We envision a community where everyone can obtain enough nutritious food in a dignified manner to support the health and well-being of themselves and their families. We address hunger head-on – from our pantry network and home-delivered groceries to our nutrition-education classes and CalFresh enrollment, and we work in many ways to nourish and serve neighbors in need. Every week, 55,000 households count on us for food assistance. Nearly 60 percent of what we distribute is fresh fruits and vegetables. Learn more at www.sfmfoodbank.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Keely Hopkins, Communications and Social Media Manager

O: 415-282-1900, ext. 292 | C: 415-792-8346

khopkins@sfmfoodbank.org

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Relocates Pop-up Pantries as Public Spaces Reopen

San Francisco and Marin, CA (April 15, 2021) — As public spaces throughout San Francisco and Marin reopen as COVID restrictions are lifted the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank will be moving a number of Pop-up Pantry locations. This includes, but isn’t limited to, several Pop-up Pantries at school sites that will move next week as schools reopen.

We know it will take a long time for many of our neighbors to get back on their feet due to the impacts of COVID-19 and we will find solutions to ensure we can continue to serve those in our community who need food assistance. If and when a Pop-up Pantry needs to relocate, we will inform all existing participants in advance and ensure the new location has enough capacity for all existing enrolled participants. Participants should also visit https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/ or call (628) 272-8340 for the latest pantry location information.

The Food Bank is committed to meeting the need for food in our community and continues to have room to support new participants.

For those in need of food assistance: The Food Bank continues to have capacity at many pantries, and we are expanding eligibility for home grocery delivery. We have also significantly reduced the wait times in line at the pantries Visit https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/ or call (628) 272-8340 to find a pantry near you and learn about all the Food Bank’s programs.

To support the Food Bank: As our community reopens, we still need volunteers to keep our programs running. Most shifts are outside, and masking and distancing protocols remain in place. To volunteer visit: https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/volunteer/.

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ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO-MARIN FOOD BANK

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank’s mission is to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin. Before the pandemic, one in five neighbors was at risk of hunger. We envision a community where everyone is able to obtain enough nutritious food in a dignified manner to support the health and well-being of themselves and their families. We address hunger head on: from our pantry network and home-delivered groceries to our nutrition-education classes and food-stamp enrollment, we work in many ways to nourish and empower neighbors in need. Every week, 55,000 households count on us for food assistance. Nearly 60 percent of what we distribute is fresh fruits and vegetables. Learn more at www.sfmfoodbank.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Keely Hopkins, Communications and Social Media Manager

O: 415-282-1900, ext. 292 | C: 415-792-8346

khopkins@sfmfoodbank.org