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 2025, SHFB distributed food to our UCSC population via UCSC Redwood Free Market/Slug Support & Family Student Housing. There were 6,106 individuals serviced within 4,723 households for a total of 90,250 pounds of food.
- In FY 2024, the SHFB distributed food to our student population via Slug Support & Family Student Housing. There were 5,908 individuals served within 4,108 households for a total of 87,504 pounds of food.
- Helping students successfully navigate the CalFresh application process.
- Historically, SHFB has helped our students successfully apply for CalFresh and keep UCSC’s approval rate above 75% year after year. As of FY 2024, UCSC is operating under a grant to process these internally. The SHFB stands ready to assist again if needed.
- Partnering in research with the Center for Economic Justice and Action.
- This resulted in the Santa Cruz County Food Insecurity Index 2020.
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!