This Week’s Food Closet Needs and Volunteer Opportunities:

This week’s requests. As usual St. Mark’s donations of food, supplies and cash have been consistent over time and on the mark to meet the weekly needs requests of the Downtown Streets Team Food Closet.  You are such a blessing to those who are food at risk in the community. And remember all donations big or small are accepted with gratitude and thanks, including any leftover Halloween candy that might be tempting your household 🎃 Please note: the Food Closet’s new hours are shown below.

Volunteers Needed: Helping hands are needed at the Downtown Streets Food Closet. No food preparation skills are needed – the FC distributes free donated and predominantly prepackaged food to its customers. Needed skill set for a volunteer is a pleasant, patient person with good social skills. Fluency in Mandarin would be beneficial as well. High school students over 15 are welcome to serve too. All Covid protocols are strictly enforced. Volunteers must be vaccinated and boosted.

Available volunteer openings are:


Monday and Wednesday – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.***
Tuesday and Thursday – 12:00 – 2:30 pm.***
Friday – 12:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Please contact Charlotte Coker at (408)591-7539 or charlotte.ca413@gmail.com for *** these days.
Contact Shirley Reiter at (650)704-9813 or shirleyreiter@yahoo.com for the other days.

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 pm Thursday: 9 am to 2:30 pm (except 12 pm to 1 pm 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 apparently 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:
Ms. Sara Baltierrez, Project Manager
Downtown Streets Team,
1671 The Alameda, Suite 306,
San Jose, CA 9512

Current Donations Requests
Food needs:

Halloween candy lady accepted
Canned fruits or fruit cups
Ramen soup
Jam

Non-food items:
Grocery bags with handles
rubber bands