At a meeting of the Fort Bragg City Council last week, Amanda Friscia, executive director of the Fort Bragg Food Bank as well as the Mendo Food Network, delivered a sobering report on the devastating impact of federal budget cuts on the county’s most vulnerable people.
She explained that in April, the food network “had to end two positions, two pantry coordinator positions that no longer exist.” The food network was also forced to curtail programs that directly impact families and seniors.
The Mendo Food Network’s programs cover the entire county through food bank popups: in Leggett, Laytonville, Ukiah, Anderson Valley and Gualala.
The nonprofit also operates the Fort Bragg Food Bank and delivers food to the Redwood Coast Senior Center in Fort Bragg and to Willits Daily Bread in Willits. According to the food network, in 2023 alone it served almost 30,000 individuals and distributed 2.6 million pounds of food across the county.
In an April 17 announcement, the network explained that 40% of its funding comes from government grants and private sources. Last year, it received $72,497 in administrative funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a financial arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “This year, we have already lost $21,303 from Phase 1 of 3 of the same program and expect this to continue for the subsequent two phases,” the announcement said. “Last year, we received food valued at $103,477 per quarter, which we do not expect to receive this year.”
Situation ‘pretty dire’
At the May 12 City Council meeting, Friscia was followed by executive director Jill Rexrode of the Redwood Coast Seniors, who explained that the nonprofit has also lost federal funds.
She said that Redwood Coast Seniors had created an SOS emergency fund — Save Our Seniors — to help with the shortfalls and asked the city to contribute money to the fund through its budget.
In an interview, Mendo Food Network development director Mary Tinder called the situation for the food bank provider “pretty dire.” She said they’ve already seen a decrease in state and federal money and explained that the state has to adjust to decisions made in the federal budget. “Food banks all over California are suffering,” she said. “It’s not like we’ve done anything wrong. It’s just that we’re not getting this money.”
For a nonprofit, not receiving expected money can be disastrous.
“We have it worked into our budget, payrolls, facilities,” Tinder said. “We had to lay off two employees, cut out one curbside pickup, and some managers have voluntarily dropped down to three-quarter time. But that’s not the answer. We need everyone at full-time now if not overtime. We’re having to make a lot of hard decisions.”
Yet the Mendo Food Network is about to open its new state-of-the-art warehouse in Willits. “It’s hard to explain to people who don’t know how grants work,” Tinder said. “We’re opening this very expensive endeavor, but the grant that funded it could not have been used for payroll. It’s confusing to the public. You’re opening up this expensive facility, but you’re laying off two employees.”
A paucity of popups
The food bank normally receives food donations from area grocers, farmers, businesses as well as food conveyed through state programs. Tinder said that local farmers and businesses are still supporting the food bank, and that the network is able to pay them as well as take donations of food locally. However, the network expects to lose over $400,000 worth of food that was expected through state programs, food mostly from the Central Valley.
Tinder said that while the nonprofit is doing its best to limit the impact of the funding cuts on clients, clearly people are affected. “We used to do two popups a month in Willits, and now we’re only doing one,” she said. “That’s 200 people who don’t get food that week. They either have to figure out how to get the food themselves or try to travel to one of our other popup locations.”
“We’re opening this very expensive endeavor, but the grant that funded it could not have been used for payroll. It’s confusing to the public. You’re opening up this expensive facility, but you’re laying off two employees.” Mary Tinder, Mendo Food Network
And in Mendocino County, with long distances and clients who may not have vehicles or gas money, that is not easy. The nonprofit also stopped the curbside pickup program at the Fort Bragg Food Bank, so now, Tinder said, “People have to adjust their schedules or just not get the food.”
“Our whole job is getting food out to the community, so we are really trying to limit the amount of stress we’re putting our clients under,” Tinder said. “It matters.”
How people can help
“What the food bank really needs is unrestricted financial support,” Tinder said, “that we can use for our programs and our employees. And if that isn’t possible, volunteering is a huge help, at the Fort Bragg food bank and at our popups. And you can also donate food to us. We’ll come pick up the food.”
At the City Council meeting, Friscia echoed that call. “Any support is welcome,” she emphasized. “Any food in your cupboard, we make it easy to take it off your hands.”
The Fort Bragg Food Bank also takes donations of clothes and gives out diapers and flea and tick medication for pets when possible.
Readers can donate to the Mendo Food Network online, or learn about volunteer opportunities.