Urgent News From the Food Closet. Shirley Reiter, one of the volunteer Food Closet Managers, just passed along the news that Second Harvest shared with its food banks. Due to a huge decline in contributions this year Second Harvest will be drastically cutting back what it can deliver going – forward and indefinitely. Meanwhile, in their Silicon Valley region those who are food insecure are increasing in number. Second Harvest has been the main source of food items at the Food Closet for many years – until now. St. Marks and All Saints have always filled a large role in stocking the shelves with needed items, but now our donations are more important than ever before. Our contributions have been generous and consistent over the years and recent donations of food, supplies and cash have been exemplary. Please keep up the good efforts and know how important your contributions to the community are – especially now.
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 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 Donations Requests
Food Items:
Creamy or crunchy peanut butter (not the oily organic kind please)
Instant coffee
Jam
Non-food items:
Brown grocery bags with handles (please no department store bags)
Plastic grocery bags with handles also OK
Ziplock bags: sandwich