Food Bank in the news!

It's been a whirlwind week for the Alameda County Community Food Bank, as we prepared to provide food for thousands of our neighbors' Thanksgiving meals. Here's a look at recent press coverage.

• Richard Seymour gives back: Oakland Raiders DT Richard Seymour donated 150 meals to Columbian Gardens Food Pantry in Oakland with the help of the Alameda County Community Food Bank for the Thanksgiving holiday. Seymour, with his mom, wife, and kids, then visited the pantry to help distribute the meals to those in need.
  
  
• Oakland Raiders, students sort food: On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor, long snapper Jon Condo, wide receiver Derek Hagan, linebacker Aaron Curry, defensive end Matt Shaugnessy and running back Taiwan Jones sorted donated food alongside local high school students, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts at the Food Bank’s warehouse across the highway from the Coliseum.
  
  
• Food banks shift focus, seek to nourish people in need: It’s not enough to simply feed the hungry. Given the obesity epidemic and other diet-related illnesses, hunger-relief organizations like the Alameda County Community Food Bank are seeking ways to make sure those calories count.
  
  
• Hunger Beyond the Headlines: Nearly 730,000 people in the Bay Area use services that the food banks provide, which is about 1 in 6 Bay Area residents. ABC 7 speaks about campaigns that everyone can get involved in and discuss ways to give during this holiday season.
  
  
• Food bank shifts into high gear: Volunteers were busy loading and unloading trucks full of turkeys, produce, and canned goods this week at the Alameda County Food Bank, making sure everyone gets enough to eat this Thanksgiving. The donations the food bank receives in November and December make up about half of the total donations they get all year.

How You Can Help

'Tis the season! While you're shopping, in the community, or even from your computer, you can help us provide food for people who need it most this season -- and throughout the year.

• When you stop at Whole Foods Market: Now you can buy breakfast, lunch or dinner or a full day of meals for a family in need at your local Whole Foods Market. Customers can “grab and give” meals with our most in-demand items, like shelf-stable milk, canned tuna and soup. You can help feed a family of 4 with as little as $5.

• While shopping at Safeway: Safeway is offering a bag of our most-needed items (like peanut butter, tuna, cereal and macaroni and cheese) for $10. And there’s a bonus: the region collecting the most food will earn a matching grant from Kraft! The promotion runs through the holidays.
• Start your own food drive: It's not too late! Traditional barrel drives are a great way to help us stock our shelves. And Virtual Food Drives are a great green alternative. They're a fun way to start some friendly competition at your office, school, community group or just among friends!

• $1 = $4:Donate to help us provide food for the 1 in 6 people in Alameda County we serve.
  
  
• Book a volunteer day in 2013: Though the outpouring of support means most volunteer shifts are full through the end of the year, we'll need lots of help from volunteers in January!

Keep an eye on our Facebook page and accfb.org for more ways to help this holiday season and throughout the year.

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As always, if you have a tale of heroic hunger-fighting in our community, from a food drive to a volunteer day, let us know! Email heroes@accfb.org with your story.