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The Dignity Health Connected Living Food Bank Combats Food Insecurity in Shasta County

In Shasta County, an estimated 25,000 people are food insecure, according to Feeding America, a national hunger-fighting organization. That means that nearly 14% of Shasta County’s population of 180,000 doesn’t have enough food to eat and doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from. 

It’s a sobering statistic, to say the least. Chances are, food insecurity directly or indirectly impacts someone you know in our community. It could be your child’s classmate, an elderly neighbor, or a coworker who has fallen on hard times. Food insecurity could even be a struggle in your own home. It doesn’t discriminate. Food insecurity impacts people of all ages and backgrounds. It can increase due to economic and climate change challenges. It can be a chronic condition or an intermittent one, based on life changes and extenuating circumstances. 

Dignity Health Connected Living’s Food Bank (DHCL Food Bank) is working hard to whittle down the number of people impacted by food insecurity in the community. It has been the designated food bank for Shasta County since 1984. Seven years ago, when two Dignity Health entities, Golden Umbrella and Shasta Senior Nutrition merged, the new agency and food bank were given the name Dignity Health Connected Living, to expand services to even more community members.

Staci Wadley works alongside Joe Ayer, Dignity Health Connected Living’s Executive Director, and partnering agencies to help address food insecurity for seniors, children and families who meet the federal income guidelines to be considered in need.  For a family of four in California, that monthly income cap is $6,110, 235% more than the federal poverty guideline to account for the cost of living in the state. DHCL Food Bank has four distinct food programs available to accommodate a range of scenarios - some that require an official application process and others that require a self-verification. These programs address both chronic food insecurity and those emergency situations that can affect even a normally financially-stable household. 

“Our goal is to be a safety net - to keep people from spiraling into homelessness or other issues because of an unexpected circumstance. Sometimes a car repair can mean people don’t have money to buy food or medicine. The emergency food program helps address those moments when life catches you off guard,” says Wadley. 

The DHCL Food Bank currently distributes food directly to more than 5,000 people every month. Through partnering agencies, the DHCL Food Bank feeds an additional 3,000 people per month. Those distribution sites include Redding, Anderson, Happy Valley, Shasta Lake City, Shingletown, Cottonwood, Lakehead, Burney, and Round Mountain. 

For more than 24 years at its current College View Drive location, the facility served the commununity with only two staff members, in a 3,500 square foot space. A recent expansion of the facility came about due to state funding and $500,000 raised by Mercy Foundation North in support of the food bank. The facility has doubled in size to 7,000 square feet, tripled its staff to a total of six, and has approximately 300 volunteers. DHCL Food Bank now includes a lobby area, additional office space, a warehouse, a freezer large enough to drive a forklift into, and a sorting room, which Wadley says they hope to convert into a space in which people can choose their own food. 

“Eventually, we want to have what is called a ‘food choice pantry.’ It would allow us to provide food that not only meets specific health or dietary needs for individuals coming to the food bank, but even to account for their food preferences,” says Wadley.  

Providing a service like a food choice pantry to the community requires both space and staff to run it. Now that they have the space, DHCL’s next step is to figure out how to fund the staff members and gain the additional volunteers needed to make it happen. 

“We need help to help Shasta County,” says Wadley. “Food banks get by on grants and donations to help our community and neighbors stay healthy. We rely on Jake Mangas and the team at Mercy Foundation North to help tell our story and let folks know that we need their help to keep the food flowing into the food bank and to get it to those in need in Shasta County.”

The DHCL Food Bank receives a small amount of federal funding, in addition to food and some funding from the California Department of Social Services Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). As a Feeding America Member, the DHCL Food Bank is able to recover groceries from local stores and work with larger partners like the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano. Donations of food and funds from generous community members and businesses help provide additional support for the food bank.  

Handing out food to people in need, Wadley says, is the most rewarding part of her work. For Ayer, helping to provide food for people in need hits especially close to home.  

“As a child, I grew up very poor, and I remember having to stand in a food bank line to get food. This was very impactful on my life. That food allowed me to go to school and learn, which allowed me to become a productive member of society today. Being able to be a part of giving back to the community in this way has impacted me in a very full circle, and personal way.” Joe Ayer, Executive Director, Dignity Health Connected Living

The DHCL Food Bank is always looking for volunteers to help pack bags and distribute food, among other opportunities to support the Food Bank’s efforts. 

“We have all kinds of volunteer jobs for people willing to help. We are also grateful for donations of healthy food or funds. Financial donations allow us to plan better, to reach more people,” says Wadley. “Please consider volunteering or donating to help us keep Shasta County healthy.”

If you have a small volume of food to donate, please drop your donations at the Food Bank Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 3pm.  For larger deliveries, please reach out to the food bank to arrange for drop-off. 

For more information, or to donate or volunteer, please click the button below or call 530.226.3071.