Community FOOD Connections
Enhancing access to nutritious food for families with children in under-resourced communities
The Community Food Connections project is a food-security partnership between Alchemist CDC and the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) that bridges gaps in the food system to get groceries into the hands of some of the most food-insecure households of Sacramento school children.
How does it work?
Alchemist CDC partners with local elementary schools to identify high-need food-insecure families. A local school liaison (such as a school social worker or a member of homeless services staff) identifies families in need, conducts a thorough needs assessment, and then connects them to the program. Additional periodic assessments are done with participating families to identify changes in need and effectiveness of the program. Special priority is given to homeless families and other families who have barriers to accessing traditional emergency food distribution sites (e.g., seniors or other COVID-vulnerable family members in the household, lack of transportation, single caregivers, etc.).
We distribute groceries to families through different methods, specific to their needs. Some families with limited transportation receive a delivery of groceries to their door every week. Others pick up their groceries on a regular basis from the social worker at their child’s school. Families who have the ability to prepare meals (such as those who have access to a kitchen) receive a combination of shelf-stable grocery staples and local farm-fresh produce. Those families who do not have the means to cook food receive “snack bags” filled with foods that can be eaten without any preparation.
This important project depends on the assistance of incredible volunteers who can help pack bags and boxes of groceries for distribution and/or make deliveries. If you are interested in volunteering, please let us know!
Make a Donation to Community Food Connections
Volunteer with Community Food Connections
Contact:
Alejandro Gomez
Community Food Connections Specialist
Where does the food come from?
We prioritize purchasing our produce from small-midsize local growers whenever possible, resulting in additional economic support for our region. For example, the same high-quality produce that the Root 64 urban farm sells to gourmet Sacramento restaurants has been delivered to families participating in Community Food Connections from the project’s start. Alchemist CDC has also begun converting individual garden plots at the Oak Park Sol Community Garden into community plots in order to grow fresh produce for CFC households. We are also working to pilot a project with farmers at our certified farmers’ markets to redirect produce left over at the end of a market day to feed these families rather than compost piles.
Other grocery staples are provided by Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. These are delivered to our Community Food Connections headquarters at the SCUSD Enrollment Center, where they are stored until they are packed for distribution.
Partners and Funders
