SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Marcella Foundation’s FeedTahoe program has officially wrapped up its first-ever Holiday Food Drive in South Lake Tahoe. From November 1st to December 12th, their team organized food donations to send to local pantries and nonprofits. With 25 businesses hosting a collection bin and 53 unique pick-ups, our community distributed about 7,765 pounds of food! Of that total, 78 percent was non-perishable food donated by individuals, and the other 22 percent was perishable food donated by restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores.
This food makes such a difference in our community. At a time when many neighbors, friends, and community members are struggling to access food, so many people stepped in to help. Demand has been steadily increasing since the late allocation of SNAP benefits in November, on top of the increasing prices of groceries. The food drive originated in the hope of donating more food leading up to the holidays, but it ended up being so much more in the face of this crisis. As Karen Goldberg, director of the South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center, notes, “The demand has been high this year, and through the support of Marcella and everyone who donated, we have been able to meet the need.”
The Marcella Foundation staff extends the biggest thank you to everyone who participated in the food drive. To each business that hosted a collection site, thank you for opening your doors and collecting donations. Thank you to the restaurants that donated their own surplus food to supplement regular donations. Plus, to every individual who donated non-perishables, thank you for taking the time to fill this gap. And finally, we cannot thank the recipients and food distributors enough – this includes Bread & Broth, Christmas Cheer All Year, El Dorado County Probation Department, SLT Family Resource Center, Lake Tahoe Community College Food Pantry, Phoenix Food Pantry, Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless, Tahoe Senior Plaza, and more. All these organizations work year-round to feed those in need, and our community is so grateful.
Stay tuned for next year’s Holiday Food Drive to participate! In the meantime, if you want to learn more about donating food and helping feed our community, check out the Marcella Foundation’s FeedTahoe program. You can help rescue food from local businesses and deliver to recipients year-round. Join them in creating a more sustainable food system in South Lake Tahoe today! Check out their website: https://www.feedtahoe.org/