This Week’s Needs at the Food Closet: Thank you donors – last week your donations were 1 bag of food items and $5 in cash. This week the Food Closet’s volunteer managers ask us to check the dates on any items we are donating from our own cupboards. Please check to be certain items are not well past their expiry dates. Also, all shifts at the food closet are presently fully staffed. This is excellent news that the community is chipping in as needed as the customer level is also increasing.
Drop off donations at the Food Closet. The Diocese allows food pantries to remain open during Covid. All Saints Food Closet is taking precautions to protect staff, volunteers, customers and donors using a protocol from Second Harvest, the main Food Closet donor. The address and new hours are: 425 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto – M, T, W, F: 9 am-2:30 p.m. Thursday: 9 am to 2:30 p.m. (except 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. when closed for staff meeting ). Access via the blue side door that opens onto Hamilton Street. Please call ahead (650) 325-3663 to let them know you are coming. Please do not drop off food after hours – it brings up a variety of concerns as people often congregate unsafely after hours to go through the food.
Donating by Check: You can also donate by check. Check donations will be used to purchase needed shortfall items. Please write a check to the Downtown Streets Team, and write in the memo line “For Food Closet”. Checks can be mailed to: Project Manager Downtown Streets Team, 1671 The Alameda, Suite 306, San Jose, CA 9512
Current Food Donation Requests
Tuna and other protein products
Ramen noodle soup (Packets if possible)
15 oz cans of corn, peas, beets
15 oz can of beans: refried, baked, pinto, kidney, garbanzo, etc.
Fruit – cans and small plastic cups
Instant coffee
Sugar
Jam
Non-food items:
Brown grocery bags with handles (please no department store bags)
Plastic grocery bags with handles also OK
Ziploc bags: sandwich size
Paper towels
Important, please note: Often sundries are donated at St. Mark’s – the intention is commendable – but unfortunately, the Food closet is constrained from distributing these items due to its contract with Second Harvest. Second Harvest does not allow distribution to customers of any goods beyond food. However, the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto will happily accept both clothes and sundries donations from the community.
