ELK GROVE, Calif. — After putting out a call for help about a month ago, the Elk Grove Food Bank is finally getting some much needed relief from the city amid coronavirus-related struggles.
Seven different non-profits are being awarded grants as part of the city's new emergency funding package, and the food bank is one of them. Since the coronavirus pandemic begin, the food bank has been overloaded with new hungry clients.
"It's absolutely unexpected. This was not a scenario that we could have not ever predicted," Suman Singha, a board member for the Elk Grove Food Bank Services said.
The grant from the city is part of a $200,000 emergency funding package passed unanimously by city council last week.
About half will go towards a plan which will help people who can't pay their rent or utilities and the other half will go towards seven different local non-profits, including the Elk Grove Food Bank Services, Chicks in Crisis, Meals on Wheels and more.
"It is critically important for us to serve the ones who have lost their jobs and who are in the greatest need, and food as you know is the most basic of human needs and really there is nothing else that is more critical than providing people sustenance," Singha said.
The number of people they serve has skyrocketed by 464% and counting, Singha said. When they first asked for help from the city a month ago, they said they were in danger of running out of food in just 15 days.
It was a cry for help heard loud and clear.
The food bank got a flood of community donations — more than $20,000 from the local rotary, $100,000 from Apple and the $20,000 grant of emergency funding coming from the city.
"The first thing that came to my mind was that it was a wake up call," Mayor Steve Ly of Elk Grove said.
Ly added that "It was a great call for help because that's what Elk Grovians do. That's what we do in the community — we come together and we support causes like the Elk Grove Food Bank."
The food bank says the support is what's now keeping their shelves stocked and their doors open.
"They have made it possible for us to stay and serve the individuals we are serving," Singha said. "We could not have done it by ourselves, and we are so eternally grateful for their support."
If you'd like to donate or volunteer for the Elk Grove Food Bank, click here.
Follow the conversation on Facebook with Lena Howland.
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