Home / What is the Holiday Food & Fund Drive

About the Holiday Food & Fund Drive

What we do:

We uplift and support the work of the Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB) of Santa Cruz, because they provide needed healthy meals to the members of our UCSC community. The SHFB partners with UCSC by:

  • Distributing food to the larger Santa Cruz community, where employees and students can drop in to get what they need.
  • Providing food to various non-transactional cafes and choice-based pantries around the campus.
    • In FY 2023, UCSC received 94,830 pounds of food from the SHFB, which was distributed to our student population via various campus programs.
  • Helping students successfully navigate the CalFresh application process.
    • SHFB helps our students successfully apply for CalFresh and keep UCSC’s approval rate above 75% year after year, for 305 approvals in FY 2023.
  • Partnering in research with the Blum Center on Poverty, Social Enterprise, and Participatory Governance.

How we do it:

Each winter, we organize and run the UCSC contribution to SHFB's Holiday Food & Fund Drive.

  • UCSC's efforts raise thousands of dollars each year.
  • For every $1,500 raised, SHFB can purchase enough food to feed a family of four people for a full year!
  • Let us know if you want to help organize, donate, or spread the word!

All year round, we have service volunteers who are willing to come into your department to:

  • Educate about the food needs of the UCSC community, and how SHFB helps.
  • Facilitate a volunteer experience for your team, where they will participate in food preparation or distribution.
  • Promote the Holiday Food & Fund Drive for when it comes around again.
  • Help individuals navigate the online giving process (won't be counted toward the HFFD).

 

Check out this video to learn more about Second Harvest Food Bank: