Area Rotary Clubs Work to Feed Children

Santa Cruz County Rotary clubs have come together and are asking for the community’s help in making sure that no child in the area goes hungry.

On Saturday, the Rotary clubs of Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos and Watsonville will hold food drives at area grocery stores in conjunction with Second Harvest Food Bank’s Food For Children campaign.

“This is something we have been doing for years,” said Scotts Valley Rotary Club member, Patti Malone. “This is an important project, because it affects people in all of our communities.”

Each year, local Rotary clubs team up with Second Harvest to collect food and money during the campaign, which kicks off in February and lasts through the end of the summer. In addition to collecting food from community members, Rotary members participate in the “10+10” campaign within their clubs, meaning each member donates $10 and 10 pounds of food for the program. Last year, Santa Cruz County Rotary clubs brought in nearly 15,000 pounds of food for the campaign.

“Rotary clubs are a big part of the community, and they bring great exposure for Second Harvest,” said Bly Morales, community food drive and development manager. “To partner with them is a very big honor for us.”

The Food For Children campaign began about 15 years ago, according to Morales, with a mission of providing healthy food to children and their families and educating parents on preparing nutritious meals. Through the program, 9,000 children per month are fed and 1,378,000 meals are distributed a year.

“We serve approximately 50,000 people a year, and half of them are children,” said Danny Keith, chief development officer.

Keith adds that the Food For Children program, which is the fastest-growing need at the food bank, is really important this time of year.

“Children are still in need of food in the spring and summer,” said Keith, adding that people often think only about donating during the holidays. “We see a big uptake of students in need of food when they get out of school. When they are in school, they get subsidized lunches, but when they are out, their parents have to provide food for them.”

Malone agreed, stressing the need for food donations this time of year.

“People give so much during the holidays, but it’s nice to do something year-round,” she said. “It’s not a big thing, just a couple of cans of food. Every little bit helps.”

Rotary club members will collect food or cash donations on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ben Lomond Market, Scotts Valley Market, Whole Foods in Capitola and Santa Cruz, Safeway in Aptos and Mi Pueblo Market in Watsonville.

To give a cash donation, visit  thefoodbank.givezooks.com/campaigns/rotary-10-10-food-for-children-drive. Or for more information on the program, visit thefoodbank.org/programsagencies/food-for-children/