San Diego Food Bank

Hunger in San Diego: Closer Than You Think

By Casey Castillo, CEO, San Diego Food Bank

August 26, 2025 (San Diego) - When people think of hunger, they often imagine faraway places or extreme poverty. But hunger is a very real issue right here in San Diego County. It’s in our neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces affecting families, seniors, military households, and children in every ZIP code.

This September, during Hunger Awareness Month, the San Diego Food Bank urges our community to look closer and recognize the hidden faces of hunger.


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GROSSMONT HEALTHCARE DISTRICT HELPS LOCAL FAMILIES PREPARE FOR SCHOOL

While supplies last, backpacks filled with school supplies are still available for pickup at the Herrick Library

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of Grossmont Healthcare District

August 12, 2021 (La Mesa) - The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) supported hundreds of East County San Diego families at their three-day Family End of Summer Palooza event, giving away essentials to prepare for back to school.


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FEEDING THE HUNGRY AMID A PANDEMIC

By Helen Horvath

 

July 27, 2020 (San Diego) -- In an interview with Jim Floros, president and CEO of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, ECM discusses the push to end hunger in San Diego during the COVID-19 pandemic.


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HELIX WATER DISTRICT HOSTS VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE

 
Source: Helix Water District
 
April 17, 2020 (La Mesa) -- Helix Water District’s employee volunteer program, Helix Helps, is hosting a virtual food drive in partnership with the San Diego Food Bank to help feed vulnerable families and seniors impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. 
 
The public is welcome to participate in the virtual food drive. To donate, visit hwd.fyi/food, slide food items across the checkout and pay securely with a credit or debit card. The virtual food drive runs through June 30, 2020.
 
“Right now, making sure that families and seniors are fed and have access to food is a top priority for our communities,” said Helix Water District Board President Mark Gracyk. “Not only are our employees working to ensure that our customers have access to safe and reliable water throughout this crisis, they are also looking for more personal ways to help.”
 

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LUCK OF THE IRISH AT BARONS BACKROOM BEER PAIRING MARCH 16

 

 

Speakeasy pairs Irish-inspired appetizers, local brews to benefit San Diego Food Bank

 

East County News Service

 

February 11, 2016 (Alpine) – As luck would have it, St Patrick’s Day happens twice this year, and for a good cause. Dust off your favorite green outfit and join Barons Market, a locally owned grocery store that sells simply good food at simply good prices, on Wednesday, March 16 for a St. Paddy’s Day themed beer and food tasting with San Diego brewer, Modern Times. 


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BARONS MARKET RAISES $3,000 FOR SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK SOLD-OUT BACKROOM BEER PAIRING

 

July 7, 2015 (San Diego's East County) – On July 1st, 300 people flocked to their local Barons Market to enjoy cold brews and gourmet appetizers for the local speakeasy known as Barons Backroom Beer Pairings. Beer lovers and foodies in Alpine, Temecula, Wildomar, Rancho Bernardo and Point Loma helped the family-owned business raise $3,000 for the San Diego Food Bank in just two hours. After almost two years of perfecting its Backroom Beer Pairings, last night Barons hosted the event at all five locations in Southern California for the first time.


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EL CAJON HOST LIONS CLUB DELIVER CHRISTMAS BASKETS

 

December 10, 2014 (El Cajon)--The El Cajon Valley Host Lions Club will deliver 100 Christmas food baskets on December 20th starting at 7 a.m.


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WINTER MEANS ITS TIME TO JAM: WINTER WONDER JAM DEC. 12 AT CUYAMACA COLLEGE

 

November 26, 2014 (El Cajon)--Winter Wonder Jam -- Cuyamaca College’s homegrown music fest put on by students in the Music Industry Studies program and featuring four local bands and musicians playing pop, rock and folk music – is set for 7-10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, in the performing arts theater.


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EL CAJON HOST LIONS CLUB DELIVER CHRISTMAS BASKETS

 

November 15,2014 (El Cajon)--The El Cajon Valley Host Lions Club will deliver 100 Christmas food baskets with turkeys and all the trimmings on December 20th starting at 7 a.m.


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LOCAL UNIONS HELP 500 FAMILIES HAVE CHRISTMAS DINNER AND TOYS FOR THEIR CHILDREN

By Nadin Abbott

December 18, 2012 (San Diego)-- it was raining and it was cold this morning at Qualcomm Stadium, as union members prepared to give 500 families the  fixings for a Christmas Dinner and toys for their children.

One of the recipients was Veronica, who did not share her last name. She is a member of the ATU, local 1309. She drives  transit buses for a living. We just talked for a second. But the problem Veronica has, like many other low income families in San Diego, is that she does not get enough hours to make ends meet. She is a mother of several children.


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“STUFF THE BUS” FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER SAT. DEC. 11

 

December 7, 2010 (San Diego) – Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) aims to load up ten buses with 8,000 pounds of food for hungry families this Saturday, December 11, at ten Vons stores across San Diego County.

 


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CHARGERS AND MTS PARTNER FOR “STUFF THE BUS” FOOD DRIVE

Need for food in East County cities rises sharply
 

November 7, 2009 (San Diego) -- The San Diego Chargers and Metropolitan Transit Service are partnering to run a series of food drives starting Nov. 10 and ending with a game day food drive at the Chargers vs. Philadelphia game at Qualcomm Stadium Nov. 15. Starting Tuesday, Nov. 10 MTS will host “Stuff the Bus Food Drives” at select Vons supermarket parking lots, where the public will be invited to stuff an MTS bus full of food to feed hungry San Diegans over the holiday season.

From January to June, the amount of food distributed by San Diego Food Bank to the needy doubled and tripled across the county. The number of meals distributed by the Food Bank in San Diego alone increased from 1.6 million to 2.4 million. In Lemon Grove, food distributed skyrocketed by 144%. Spring Valley food distribution shot up 80%, while La Mesa and El Cajon rose 31% and 32%.


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