Placer Food Bank is seeking help for Thanksgiving dinners this year

More than 3,000 families in need will sit down to a turkey dinner and the trimmings on Thanksgiving Day through the efforts of the Placer Food Bank and its partner network. "We are right now working to build the inventory to distribute the turkeys," said Placer Food Bank Director of Development Lisa Heinrich last week. For those who want to contribute, monetary donations are needed. "We halted all individual food drives because of COVID-19 and we created an Online Fund and Food Drive platform," she said. The online platform will accept a single donation or a group effort. "Individuals, neighborhoods, corporations and community organizations can register teams to create their own internal drive and have a fun competition to raise funds," Heinrich said. She stressed that it is monetary donations only, not food. Funds collected go toward purchasing food for distribution throughout the three counties Placer Food Bank serves: Placer, El Dorado and Nevada. The platform, launched earlier this year, also provides a way to donate through an online shopping cart. Choices range from non-perishable food boxes to fresh produce bags and snack bags for the Feed Our Future Kids' backpack program, according to the website. The need for food assistance has climbed since 2020. "We've seen a 45- to 50-percent increase in need in the three counties," Heinrich said. As part of the effort to keep pace with those numbers, the food bank expanded its outreach. "We went from three drive-through distribution sites to nine locations in Placer and El Dorado counties," Heinrich said. And even as COVID-19 cases decrease, the need for donations remains high. "There are still people either underemployed or not employed," Heinrich said. "There's also inflation at the grocery store with increased prices of everything. Families still struggle. Sometimes, they need that bit of assistance at the end of the month to fill their pantry with shelf items and fresh produce." The organization also steps up to help in times of disaster, including this year's Caldor and River fires. "There are still people being displaced by those fires," Heinrich said. Placer Food Bank, one of the 200 Feed America affiliates, is the hub of the network. Its large warehouse in Roseville is the food collection point, from canned goods and other shelf items to fresh meat and produce. Its fleet of trucks moves the food to area partners — food closets, youth programs, community kitchens, faith-based groups, senior programs and rehabilitation centers — where it is distributed to individuals and families. "We have more than 70 food hunger relief agency partners (that handle the distribution)," Heinrich said. The food inventory comes from a variety of donors, including the United States Department of Agriculture, food retailers, manufacturers and growers/producers. "We moved 8.2 million pounds of food last year," Heinrich said. The funding that keeps the program flourishing comes from corporate, community organizations and individual donors. For Heinrich, being part of an organization that battles food insecurity is a passion. "To be able to provide a turkey dinner for those who can't afford it this year, that's what it is about" Heinrich said. "There's nothing like having warm food on the table. That's what keeps us going and it's what is in our hearts." Quick facts on Placer Food Bank: Placer Food Bank by the numbers (source: June 2020-July 2021 Impact Report) Individuals served: 549,467 Meals provided: 8,062,812 Volunteer hours: 6,200 Number of volunteers: 2,700 Food insecure individuals in Placer, Nevada and El Dorado counties : 102,310 (including 22,880 children) Seniors reporting choosing between food and pay for medical expenses: 30 percent Pounds of food distributed: 8.2 million-plus. Website: wwwplacerfoodbank.org. For a list of food pantry partners in Placer, El Dorado and Nevada counties with location, contact phone and operating hours To fill a cart for donation, make a monetary donation or register a food drive team: www.donate.placerfoodbank.org Placer Food Bank programs: Free monthly mobile drive-through food distribution at nine sites in Placer and El Dorado counties: Cameron Park, Colfax, Foresthill, Georgetown, Lincoln, Placerville, Pollock Pines, Rocklin and Sheridan. Mobile distribution to designated low-income senior apartments in Auburn, Newcastle and Rocklin. Youth backpack program: Weekly snack packs for 4,000 low-income students. School pantry family bags: More than 8,000 family bags distributed monthly, helping 560 families in need CalFresh (SNAP/food stamp program)