Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County to send 3,000 meals for fire aid

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County is sending 200 care packages equating to 3,000 meals to residents affected by the fires in Napa and Sonoma counties.

Donations from PG&E and Kaiser Permanente funded the food purchases, which employees of the Central Coast division will pack for shipment on Thursday, October 19th.

“Our hearts go out to the families suffering through this horrific event,” said Rob Morse, Senior Manager of the Central Coast Division. “The PG&E employees here on the Central Coast are so thankful that in partnership with Second Harvest, we can provide some level of assistance to those impacted by the fires.”

The care packages will contain pull-top canned meals, including chili, beef ravioli, tuna, and spaghetti, together with the plastic utensils and napkins. Kaiser Permanente is donating 2-ounce bottles of hand sanitizers to each package.

The Redwood Empire Food Bank in Santa Rosa will receive the shipment and distribute the packages to people in evacuation centers and other emergency housing situations in Sonoma County.

Tens of thousands of people have had to flee their homes. About 4,400 are in shelters and will not be able to go home for many days, officials said.

Other Bay Area food banks are also organizing aid to support the communities served by the Redwood Empire and Napa Valley Food Banks.

“Second Harvest Food Bank relies on people coming together and working alongside one another to help those in need,” said Jan Kamman, Second Harvest’s Director of Corporate and Community Relations. “That is the greatest strength of Santa Cruz County.”