Central Coast families still feel the affects of inflation ahead of the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday, Food Bank for Monterey County responds

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Despite a "moderate decline" in grocery bills this year ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) says that food costs are still 19% higher than they were five years ago.

"Thanksgiving dinner survey finds that the classic feast for 10 will run you $58.08, down 5% from last year," according to AFBF. "While consumers are getting some much-needed relief after years of elevated retail prices, these grocery bills also reflect some hard conversations around the dinner table for farm and ranch families."

As a response to the slow drip of lowering inflation rates from the past couple of years, Food Bank Monterey County is offering meal kits throughout the county for families needing the help this Thanksgiving.

"Over 40% of Monterey County residents are food insecure," wrote Food Bank for Monterey County's website. "The Food Bank for Monterey County is working to end hunger and transform the health of our community through good nutrition."

The organization says that they are working to feed the one in three children and one in four Monterey County residents still in need of food resources. They also say that they feed an average of 160,000 people every month.

"We're going to have several community meals throughout the county," said Melissa Mendrick founder of Food Bank for Monterey County. "And in addition to that, we're also going to need people to help at distributions."

The food bank says that starting Monday, they'll be activating the Soledad, King City and Chuaular sites. On Tuesday, the company will provide meal kits in Greenfield, San Ardo and Pajaro. And, on Wednesday, people can find meals in Castroville and Gonzales.

Those distribution sites and schedules are below:

CARMEL VALLEY

1st & 3rd Friday of the Month / 1o y 3o Viernes de Cada Mes (11/1/24, 11/15/24)
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Serves Seniors and General Public

St. Philip’s Lutheran Church
8065 Carmel Valley Road

Senior Sites
1st & 3rd Friday of the Month / 1o y 3o Viernes de Cada Mes (11/1/24, 11/15/24)
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Rippling River Center
53 Carmel Valley Road

CASTROVILLE

1st Thursday of Every Month / 1o Jueves de Cada Mes (11/7/24)
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m

Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church
11140 Preston Street

CHUALAR

2nd Thursday of Every Month / 2o Jueves de Cada Mes (11/14/24)
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Chualar Union Elementary School
24285 Lincoln Street

GONZALES

3rd Thursday of Every Month / 3o Jueves de Cada Mes (11/21/24)
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

St Theodore Church
116 South Belden Street

GREENFIELD

4th Tuesday of Every Month / 4o Martes de Cada Mes  (11/26/24)
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Greenfield Memorial Hall
615 El Camino Real

KING CITY

1st Wednesday of Every Month / 1o Miercoles de Cada Mes (11/6/24)
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Every Friday / Cada Viernes
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Salinas Valley Fairgrounds
625 Division Street

MARINA

1st Monday of Every Month / 1o Lunes de Cada Mes (11/4/24)
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m

Marina Library
188 Seaside Avenue

3rd Saturday of Every Month / 3o Sabado de Cada Mes (11/16/24)
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m

Holy Assembly Missionary Baptist Church
3305 Adby Way

PAJARO

1st Friday of Every Month / 1o Viernes de Cada Mes (11/1/24)
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Our Lady of the Assumption Church
100 Salinas Road

PRUNEDALE

1st Monday of Every Month / 1o Lunes de Cada Mes (11/4/24)
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Prunedale Grange Hall
17890 Moro Road

SALINAS

Produce Truck Distribution Site
Monday / Lunes (10/28/24)
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Alisal Community School
1437 Del Monte Ave

Produce Truck Distribution Site
Tuesday / Martes (10/15/24)
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Frank Paul Elementary School
1300 Rider Ave

Produce Truck Distribution Site
Wednesday / Miercoles (10/2/24, 10/16/24)
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Every Friday / Cada Viernes
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

La Paz Middle School
1300 N. Sanborn Rd.

Produce Truck Distribution Site
Tuesday / Martes (10/22/24)
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr Academy
925 N. Sanborn Rd.

Produce Truck Distribution Site
Thursday / Jueves (10/17/24)
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

University Park Elementary
833 W. Acacia St.

Produce Truck Distribution Site
Tuesday / Martes (10/1/24)
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Santa Rita Elementary School
2014 Santa Rita St.

Produce Truck Distribution Site
Thursday / Jueves (10/3/24)
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Sherwood Elementary
110 S. Wood St.

Every Tuesday / Cada Martes
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

715 Jefferson St.

3rd Wednesday of Every Month / 3o Miercoles de Cada Mes (11/20/24)
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

St. Ansgar’s Lutheran Church
72 E. San Joaquin St.

4th Friday of Every Month / 4o Viernes de Cada Mes (11/22/24)
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Salinas Valley Community Church
368 San Juan Grade Road

Every Thursday / Cada Jueves
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Grace Christian Fellowship
111 Prado Street

2nd Friday of Every Month / 2o Viernes de Cada Mes (11/8/24)
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Vineyard Church of Salinas
1122 East Alisal Street

Every Day / Todos Los Dias
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Victory Mission
43 Soledad Street

3rd Tuesday of Every Month / 3o Martes de cada Mes (11/19/24)
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Parallel Church
327 Pajaro St.

Every Friday / Cada Viernes
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
580 Larkin St.

Last Sunday of Every Month / Ultimo Domingo de cada Mes (11/24/24)
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
1071 Pajaro St.

2nd & 4th Saturday of Every Month / 2o y 4o Sabado de cada Mes (11/9/24, 11/23/24)
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Royal Family Church of God
671 East Market St.

2nd & 4th Wednesday of Every Month / 2o y 4o Miercoles de cada Mes (11/13/24, 11/27/24)
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The Father’s House
55 Natividad Rd.

SAN ARDO

1st Wednesday of Every Month / 1o Miercoles de Cada Mes (11/6/24)
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Cattlemen & College Roads

SEASIDE

2nd Tuesday of Every Month / 2o Martes de Cada Mes  (11/12/24)
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

St Francis Xavier Church
1475 La Salle Avenue

Every Tuesday / Cada Martes
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Bethel Baptist Church
390 Elm Avenue

Every Wednesday / Cada Miercoles
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Seaside High School
2200 Noche Buena St.

Every Saturday / Cada Sabado
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Bethel Baptist Church
390 Elm Avenue

SOLEDAD

2nd Tuesday of Every Month / 2o Martes de Cada Mes  (11/12/24)
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Our Lady of Solitude Church
235 Main Street
Pedestrians only. Non Drive-Thru Distribution / Peatones solamente no Carros

The locations will be offering meal kits, including Food Bank for Monterey County's own pozole dinner kits.

"Help is what we need, We need to pack 25,000 pozole kits and 25,00 traditional meal kits in the next week," said Mendrick. "We absolutely need volunteers."

People wanting to help volunteer--including those who would like to donate food or money--can do that by visiting the Food Bank for Monterey County's website or call the organization at 831.758.1523.