Community-market style returns to food distribution locations
St. Maria Goretti Parish in San Jose is one of eight diocesan parish food distribution sites operated by Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County.
Catholic Charities is once again distributing food and groceries through community markets after pandemic restrictions temporarily shifted distribution to a drive-through, contactless system. We currently operate at eight parish-based locations and at two Family Resource Centers. Our most recent impact is 94,000 pounds of food distributed to 3,000 families weekly.
“When we originally launched the first community market at Our Lady of Refuge Parish in the Fall of 2019, part of our model was that community members who came for food would ‘shop’ for their grocery items,” according to Araceli Gonzales, Division Director of Emergency Programs & Housing Services. “We are glad to once again offer an experience similar to a farmer’s market, where food recipients can shop with dignity and choose groceries that best meet their families’ needs.”
When the pandemic hit in early 2020, Catholic Charities, in partnership with Second Harvest, shifted to a drive-through contactless delivery system utilizing hundreds of volunteers. Food distribution sites expanded to additional parish locations to accommodate demand due to COVID-19 shutdowns. While five years have passed since the pandemic began, food insecurity remains high, with many working poor families in Santa Clara County still struggling to make ends meet. Last fiscal year, food and meals distribution through parish sites and home deliveries increased 55% compared to the previous year, underscoring the ongoing need for support.
Please consider volunteering at one of our food distribution sites or making a gift to support this important work in our community.
