Second Harvest of Silicon Valley

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
AbbreviationSHSV
FormationOctober 1988; 35 years ago (1988-10)
Merger ofThe Food Bank Inc. of Santa Clara County, San Mateo County Food Bank
TypeNonprofit organization
Registration no.94-2614101
Legal status501(c)(3) organization
PurposeHumanitarian
HeadquartersSan Jose, California
Coordinates37°24′46″N 121°57′7″W / 37.41278°N 121.95194°W / 37.41278; -121.95194
Area served
Santa Clara and San Mateo counties in California
Chief executive officer
Leslie Bacho[1]
AffiliationsFeeding America, California Association of Food Banks
Revenue (2019)
$136 million[2]
Websitewww.shfb.org
Formerly called
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley (abbreviated SHSV) is a food bank based in San Jose, California, that serves Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, including Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Peninsula. With $136 million in revenue in 2019, it is the largest food bank in the San Francisco Bay Area and the 12th largest in the United States.[2][3][4][5] As of 2020, it serves about 500,000 people on average per month.[6] It is affiliated with Feeding America, a national network of food banks, as well as the California Association of Food Banks.[7] Leslie Bacho is the organization's chief executive officer.[1]

History

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley began in 1974 as The Food Bank of Santa Clara County, a program of the now-defunct nonprofit organization Economic and Social Opportunities Inc. In 1979, The Food Bank Inc. of Santa Clara County incorporated as a separate nonprofit organization and joined the Second Harvest system, now called Feeding America.[8]

After federal government subsidies to Second Harvest ended in 1984, The Food Bank and the smaller San Mateo County Food Bank relied solely on donations, and Catholic Charities of San Mateo County began administering the San Mateo County Food Bank. In October 1988, the two food banks merged to become Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.[8][9]

In 1998, Second Harvest began accepting online monetary donations as well as online donations of groceries through Peapod.[10]

On July 30, 2019, the organization adopted its current name, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.[11]

Facilities

Second Harvest operates four distribution centers, including:[6][12]

  • The 65,000-square-foot (6,000 m2) Curtner Center opened in 1992 in San Jose.
  • The 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2) Peninsula Distribution Center (Bing Center) opened in 1996 in San Carlos.
  • The Cypress Center opened in 2012 in North San Jose as a dedicated distribution facility for fresh produce.

In 2021, Second Harvest announced a plan to consolidate food handling operations at its three San Jose facilities into a single 10.4-acre (4.2 ha) site in Alviso with 250,000 square feet (23,000 m2) of floor space. The Bing Center would remain in San Carlos.[12]

Second Harvest distributes groceries through a network of over 300 partner agencies throughout both counties.[6] Forty percent of the people who assist with Second Harvest programs are volunteers.[13]

Demographics

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Second Harvest served about 500,000 people on average per month,[6] an increase from 250,000 people before the pandemic began.[14] Most families it serves have working parents who experience food insecurity due to the San Francisco Bay Area's high cost of living amid the California housing shortage.[15] A quarter of the organization's clients are college-educated (as of 2006)[16] and 11% are homeless (as of 2012).[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Leslie Bacho". San Jose, California: Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Top 100 Food Banks" (PDF). Food Bank News. 2020. p. 3. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  3. ^ Du Sault, Laurence (July 8, 2020). "Bay Area food banks help more than 1 million". The Mercury News. San Jose, California. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  4. ^ Simmonds, Charlotte (December 12, 2017). "The Silicon Valley paradox: one in four people are at risk of hunger". The Guardian. London. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Lee, Emanuel (January 17, 2021). "As Need Grows in Silicon Valley, Business and Residents Step Up". San Jose Inside. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d "About Us". San Jose, California: Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "California Association of Food Banks Member List" (PDF). California Association of Food Banks. March 18, 2021. p. 5. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Second Harvest Food Bank helps fill the pantries of those in need". Metro Silicon Valley. San Jose, California: Metro Publishing. November 23, 2000. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  9. ^ Rapalus, Peter (November 6, 1988). "Affluent San Mateo County Boosts Food Services for Needy". Los Angeles Times. United Press International. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  10. ^ "Charities make giving easier by offering on-line transactions". The Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. December 24, 1998. p. A4 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties unveils new logo and changes name to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley" (PDF) (Press release). Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. July 30, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Second Harvest of Silicon Valley announces new building plans in San Jose to support elevated need in Silicon Valley" (PDF) (Press release). Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. August 19, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  13. ^ Lee, Emanuel (October 19, 2020). "Latest Casualty of the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Volunteer Shortage at Second Harvest Food Bank". San Jose Inside. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  14. ^ Arevalo, Alejandra (May 30, 2021). "Demand for Silicon Valley food pantries remains high". San José Spotlight. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  15. ^ Vasel, Kathryn (January 12, 2018). "In booming economies, food banks are busier than ever". CNN. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  16. ^ de Palma, Paul (2006). Computers in Society (13th ed.). New York City: McGraw Hill Education. p. 47. ISBN 9780073528328 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ Lewis, Jon E. (2012). The Mammoth Book of How it Happened - America. New York City: Little, Brown and Company. p. 373. ISBN 9781780337265 – via Google Books.

External links

  • Official website
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