"On a gray morning in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood, dozens of coat-bundled seniors make their way up the ramp behind a local food bank. Inside, some reach for ripe bunches of bananas and others fill large canvas totes with bright red apples. For many of these seniors, this ritual is a nutritional lifeline. Founded in 1982 by residents at the Mercy Retirement and Care Center, the Mercy Brown Bag Program is a nonprofit that distributes groceries to over 10,000 East Bay seniors every month."
"California's older adults, a group characterized as age 65 and older, experience some of the highest rates of poverty among all age groups in the state, at 21%, according to a September report from the California Budget and Policy Center. Mercy Brown Bag relies on a mix of funding sources, including Alameda County, which provides 67% of its budget, along with support from corporations, foundations, and individual donors."
Mercy Brown Bag Program, founded in 1982 by residents at Mercy Retirement and Care Center, distributes groceries to over 10,000 East Bay seniors each month. The program operates free grocery stores where seniors pick fresh produce and other items. For 85% of clients, Mercy provides all or most of their groceries. The program relies on Alameda County for 67% of its budget and on corporations, foundations, and individual donors for the remainder. More than 500 volunteers—95% retirees aged 65 and older—sort, pack, and distribute groceries under a "seniors helping seniors" model. A $25,000 grant would fund a full month of groceries for 2,200 seniors at the Fruitvale site, helping many who live on under $850 per month to stay housed and healthy.
Read at The Mercury News
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