Loaves and Fishes featured in Martinez News-Gazetter article
Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa was featured in the November 25th edition of the Martinez News-Gazette. The article, Volunteers Offer Helping Hands, describes how mother and daughter teams from the National Charity League volunteered to help serve Loaves and Fishes annual Thanksgiving meal.
Click here to read the article.
Delicious and Nutritious Recipes for the Holidays
Click here for deliciously simple recipes for healthy dishes like Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Spread, Caramelized Butternut Squash, Sautéed Swiss Chard and Amazing Apple Crisp
to spruce up your holiday menu. These side dishes are a wonderful way
to add color to your table using fruits and veggies in season and
available locally. Enjoy!
Hunger in Contra Costa County
What’s it like to go to bed hungry? Have you ever had to tell your
family that there is not enough food to go around? How do you feed a
family for a month, when your paycheck is barely enough to cover the
rent? These are questions many families are wrestling with across the
nation and in Contra Costa County. Some of us will never experience
hunger, but for many it’s a daily reality. Forty-nine million or 15% of
Americans struggle with hunger each year. Hunger is around us every day.
The hungry include children in our neighborhood schools, coworkers and
neighbor. The number of people in need of food has increased over 46%
since 2006, according to figures released by the United States
Department of Agriculture in 2009. That means 17.2 million children are
at risk of experiencing hunger at some point this year.
Dick and Rosemary Thull are the winners of the Marriott Week in Newport Beach
Dear Loaves & Fishes Supporters,
I am happy to announce
that Dick and Rosemary Thull are the winners of the Marriott Week in
Newport Beach. Dick and Rosemary are long time volunteers and supporters
of Loaves & Fishes and we appreciate all of their ongoing support.
Thank you to everyone who participated. We raised $1,500 to support our
mission in feeding the hungry.
Warmest Regards,
David Gerson
Executive Director, Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa
What's on Our Plate?
In June, the USDA revealed the new “My Plate” icon at the left to
replace the former “Food Guide Pyramid” that is used as a tool to
educate the public about healthy eating. This new graphic is a simple
way to remind us of two of the most important concepts of eating healthy
– eat a variety of foods bursting with deep, rich color and fill half
of your plate at any meal or snack with vegetables and fruits.
Loaves and Fishes welcomes new Executive Director David Gerson
David Gerson has been appointed as the new Executive Director of Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa effective Monday, July 11th.
David
starts his leadership role as Loaves and Fishes kicks off its 2011/2012
fiscal year. David's strong business background and commitment to the
community make him uniquely suited to lead the agency as the increasing
demand for our services continues to reflect the lingering economic
challenges in Contra Costa County.
Loaves and Fishes meeting the needs of the Pittsburg community
This was Richard, Christina, and 4 year old Hannah’s fourth visit to
Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa's Pittsburg dining room. People in the
community told the Black family about Loaves and Fishes. Christina
said that the food is so good, that coming to Loaves and Fishes “feels
like a restaurant experience”. Christina went on to say, “the staff,
and volunteers are polite, and friendly, and have a loving manner, it is
a great, positive atmosphere.” Richard said that he has been out of
work for several months now, and that it has been very hard to make ends
meet. Richard previously worked in the restaurant industry, and
appreciates the excellent food that Loaves and Fishes serves in a
wonderful atmosphere. The Blacks said they will definitely be coming to
Loaves and Fishes on a regular basis because times are very hard right
now for them.
Loaves and Fishes featured in Antioch Rotary Spinning Wheel
Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa's presentation to the Antioch Rotary was featured in the 3/31 issue of the Antioch Rotary newsletter: The Spinning Wheel.
Click here to see the article.
New Healthy Eating Guidelines
Earlier this year, the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) and DHHS
(Department of Health and Human Services) unveiled the 2010 Dietary
Guidelines (DGA) to help Americans make healthier food choices and
confront the obesity epidemic. The DGA provides healthy eating advice
that promotes good health and disease prevention for healthy Americans
ages 2 and older.
Debra's story
Debra is on a fixed income, and recently became homeless. She heard
about Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa through family members. She eats
at Loaves and Fishes five times per week, and Loaves and Fishes is the
only place she can get a hot meal. She cannot use groceries or a food
pantry because she is homeless, so she has no way to fix a meal or store
food.
Over 3,500,000 meals served!!!
On Monday January 17th, Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa (LFCC) achieved a historic milestone by serving its 3,500,000
meal!!! Loaves and Fishes humble beginnings began in 1983, feeding the
hungry in the basement of St. Peter Martyr Catholic Church in
Pittsburg. LFCC has now grown to serve free hot nutritious meals from
five dining rooms in Martinez, Antioch, Oakley, Bay Point, and
Pittsburg. Loaves and Fishes also provides meals to partners Mental
Health Concerns and Fresh Start.
Kim, daughter, and two grandchildren love the hot food at Loaves and Fishes - St. Vincent de Paul
Kim, her 10 year old daughter, Jessica, and two grandchildren age 3,
and age 1, eat at the Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa (LFCC) Pittsburg
dining room at least 3 times per week. She works part time, and her
husband was injured and is unable to work right now.
A Legacy to Remember: Peggy Raisbeck
Margaret "Peggy" Scott Raisbeck - April 4, 1940 - August 31, 2011
Peggy
Raisbeck was born in New York City, the daughter of the late H. Lee
Scott and Mary Anna Laycock. She passed away peacefully in her home,
with her loving family around her, after a courageous and inspirational
three year battle with Cancer. She leaves behind a legacy of service,
caring, and a zest for life that few can match. After moving to
Danville, CA in 1987, she joined the local chapter of Loaves and Fishes,
and organized the first soup kitchen in Concord. She helped run this
kitchen for 15 years, feeding thousands of homeless and underprivileged
families. "She didn't just serve food," Peter Raisbeck said. "She'd
prepare and everything, but then when the people started coming in, she
wanted to go sit at the tables and talk with them, find out what are you
doing here? How did you get here? Where do you live? She had a great
knack for finding people with potential who had an unfortunate set of
circumstances. And she'd help them.
Thank You to our St. Joan of Arc Volunteers!
Every fourth Friday of the month Marty Pfeiffer and her group of St.
Joan of Arc members and friends come to the Loaves and Fishes of Contra
Costa Pittsburg Dining Room to volunteer their services. They are a fun,
friendly group who are there to serve and help others. This group has
been volunteering at Loaves and Fishes since the mid 1980’s! They
started back when Loaves and Fishes was serving meals at St. Michael’s
in Concord and they were cooking the meals themselves. Hal, Eileen and
Karen are retired Delta Airline employees and have been pals for years.
Thank you Marty, Hal, Eileen, Katy, Karen and Joe for being such a
loyal, wonderful group!
Oakley Volunteers Mary Johannes and Sharon Ramos
Volunteers Mary Johannes and Sharon Ramos are very special women. Each
week they volunteer at Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa in Oakley at
the Redman-Pocahantas Hall. Mary says by volunteering she can do
something to help others, instead of sitting home alone moping! Sharon
believes that “a helping hand goes a long way” and brings special treats
to the clients and volunteers like pizza and holiday decorations. Mary
and Sharon, along with Debbie Robertson, our awesome Oakley dining room
manager and the other volunteers, make such a difference with their
kindness and positive energy.
Second Annual Loaves and Fishes Volunteer Recognition Party
Delicious food and plenty of it, fantastic raffle prizes, tote-bag
favors, balloons and the greatest guest list in Contra Costa County--and
what party could that be? Why the very successful Second Annual Loaves
and Fishes of Contra Costa Volunteer Appreciation Party, "We've Come a
Long Way!", held on May 18th at St. Andrew's Church beautiful
Celebration Center. Over 150+ wonderful Loaves and Fishes volunteers
turned out to enjoy the festivities. Many thanks to all who helped the
Loaves and Fishes Board of Directors put on the event: Cindy Skinner,
our mistress of ceremonies who kept the program lively; Phil Bennett,
Starship keyboardist, who provided background music; Ben Huddleston and
Scott Ollson who did so many things to make the day a success, and to
the many donors of our fantastic door prizes. Thanks again to our
wonderful volunteers!
Click here to see all the pictures from the party!
Barbara Watkins - Client and Volunteer
Barbara found the Pittsburg Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa (LFCC)
dining room in September 2010 when she was walking and saw the LFCC sign
for free hot lunches. She met the dining room manager, Debbie, and they
discussed their Christian faith, bonding immediately. Debbie invited
Barbara to try the free hot and nutritious meal.
Volunteer Driver Jim Simsonson
Five years ago, Jim Simsonson was reading the Contra Costa Times
classified ads, something he never does actually, and saw an ad asking
for volunteers at Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa. He has been
volunteering with us ever since! Loaves and Fishes gets most of the food
we serve from food donors like Safeway, Costco and Trader Joe’s and we
rely on volunteer drivers to pick up the food and deliver it to our
kitchens in Pittsburg and Martinez. Twice a week, Jim drives to Safeway
in Martinez, loads up his van and then delivers the food to our kitchen
at the First Baptist Church in Martinez.
Recognizing an Antioch volunteer
Gary began volunteering in Antioch when a friend of his asked him to
come and help at the Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa dining
room in August 2008. He enjoyed the experience, and now he volunteers
every day. He likes to help out at the Loaves and Fishes dining room to
give back for what he has been given. Gary is a disabled Vietnam
veteran. He lives across the street from the Antioch Loaves and Fishes
Dining Room, where other disabled veterans live as well. He also has
volunteered at the Pittsburg - Loaves and Fishes / Saint Vincent de Paul
Dining Room when additional volunteers are needed. One of his hobbies
is building furniture.
Volunteer Kitchen Chef Chris
Chris volunteers as a chef in the Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa
(LFCC) catering kitchen twice a week. He is a graduate of the culinary
arts program at Diablo Valley College. The culinary program required
him to obtain practical on-the-job experience off campus. He was not
interested in working in a restaurant, and found the Loaves and Fishes
catering kitchen through the LFCC volunteer orientation. He initially
thought he would volunteer in the dining room, but due to his culinary
skills, the Volunteer manager suggested that he volunteer in the
catering kitchen. Chris lives near the Martinez Loaves and Fishes dining
room, so he was familiar with the LFCC dining experience. He wanted to
give back by volunteering his chef skills.
Just like VW, Drivers Wanted
There is a special group of volunteers that work daily in support of the
Loaves & Fishes of Contra Costa's (LFCC's) mission to feed the
hungry: The Volunteer Driver. This volunteer opportunity is unlike any
other. They are our supply line and our life line. The volunteer driver
schedules one day or more each week to pick up food products from area
businesses, like Costco, Trader Joes, Safeway, and Orowheat. They then
load their cars, SUV’s or trucks and bring the donations to the LFCC
central kitchen in Pittsburg. From there we produce over 800 meals a day
for the hungry of Contra Costa.
If you have the time and would like to join the ranks of our volunteer drivers, please contact
Eleanor Bonner, our Director of Operations at 925-687-6760 or email her at eleanor@loavesfishescc.org
Whole Foods Market Lafayette Donates 5% of January 4, 2012 Revenues to Loaves and Fishes
Whole Foods Market Lafayette has graciously
donated back 5% of its revenue, over $3,500, from January 4th, 2012 to Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa.
Once a quarter, Whole Foods Market has a Community Support Day and
contributes 5% of one day’s net sales to a non-profit organization.
Loaves and Fishes was chosen to be the beneficiary for the first quarter
of 2012.
Thank you to Whole Foods Market Lafayette, and all that supported Loaves
and Fishes by shopping at Whole Foods Market Lafayette on January 4th!
You
can show your appreciation for Whole Foods Lafayette by "liking"
them on Facebook. To "like" Whole Foods Lafayette, click here: 
Tow Trucks and Turkeys
2011 marked AAA’s 15th Consecutive year of donating fresh turkeys to
many non-profits located in Northern California, Nevada and Utah. This
year they donated close to 10 tons of turkeys to 26 non-profits. This is
impressive and very much appreciated by Loaves and Fishes of Contra
Costa. The Turkeys were delivered to Loaves & Fishes on November 10.
Chef James Porter, Development Director Joleen Lafayette and driver Tim
Mays were all there to greet AAA when they arrived with the truck load
of turkeys. Two AAA Agents Kristy Kropa and Kathleen Ellis also joined
in to help from the AAA Antioch Office. When the turkeys arrived they
were put into the refrigerator and are now waiting to be prepared for
our upcoming holiday meals.
Grant J. Hunt Company joins Loaves and Fishes Food Partners
"Grant J. Hunt Company, Distributors of Fresh Fruit and Produce", has
joined Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa as its newest "food partner".
The company donated 21 cases of apples this November which were
immediately used in our daily fruit salad, as well as being distributed
directly to our clients on the "free tables" at each location. Maurice
Protzen, a company partner and Lafayette resident, has become a member
of the Lafayette 100 and is arranging for regular donations of fruits
and vegetables to Loaves and Fishes. We are expecting a shipment of
potatoes in December. GJ Hunt has been a distributor of high quality
produce in the Bay Area for over 75 years and has offices in California,
Oregon and Washington. Thank you GJ Hunt and Maurice Protzen for
helping those who are struggling with hunger.
Aidells Sausage Continues to Take Huge Bites Out of Hunger
During November, Aidells Sausage, a San Leandro based company, donated
2,000 pounds of sausage to Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa (LFCC).
This donation is in addition to 1,000 pounds of sausage donated in June,
1,800 pounds of sausage donated in February, and the 1,200 pounds of
sausage donated in January. That's 6,000 pounds of sausage donated this
year! That's a lot of sausage!!!
A New Partner: Diablo Country Club Charitable Foundation
Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa is always excited to have a new
partner supporting our mission of feeding the hungry. Recently, Loaves
and Fishes of Contra Costa received a $5,000 grant from The Diablo
Country Club Charitable Foundation. The foundation is providing support
to organizations that help individuals in need make a better life for
themselves. The grant will be used to purchase food and supplies for our
meal program. This grant is very much appreciated, especially in
today’s economy when we are feeding so many people who are hungry.
Calling all Lafayette Residents - Join the Lafayette 100
Our new Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa Executive Director, David
Gerson, is a long time Lafayette resident, community volunteer and
member of the Lafayette School District Governing Board. After joining
us as Executive Director he realized that his own community was under
represented on the agency’s donor list. At the same time David joined
our staff, Jay Lifson joined the Board. Jay is also active in Lafayette
and is currently the executive director of the Lafayette Chamber of
Commerce. Together they decide to boldly approach their community and
seek new donors. Jay and David drafted an article highlighting LFCC
mission, the increasing need for its services, their personal commitment
to each donate a $1,000 to LFCC and seeking 98 more families to join
them in funding LFCC’s mission of feeding the hungry in Contra County.
The article was published on the front page of the September issue of
“Lafayette Today”.
EMC Corporation Hosts “Texas Holdem” Poker Tournament
EMC Corporation, a leading technology company, lent is support to
Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa (LFCC) mission on October 4th by
hosting a poker tournament at its Pleasanton campus. The event was a
first for both EMC and LFCC, and was the brainchild of Jay Snyder, an
EMC Vice President, who was hosting a multi-day sales training seminar
and wanted to not only provide an evening of fun for his guests but also
support a local non-profit. Jay brought the poker tournament concept
to David Gerson, a friend and our Executive Director, and the rest is
history. EMC provided a pre-tournament dinner for all 77 players and
covered the cost of the Blue Dog Events, a local Walnut Creek company
that specializes in running poker tournaments to benefit non-profit.
Several other companies, who sent their personnel for training, also
supported the event by making direct contributions to LFCC. The event
raised over $8,500 and provided a fun evening for all those attending.
The top 9 finishers each won cash prizes as well as other donated items
such as sporting event tickets and an IPad2. The event was a lot of
fun and a great fundraiser for LFCC. Our thanks go out to Jay, EMC, the
sponsors and all the players who made the night a success!!
Loaves and Fishes receives $3,000 grant from Macy's
Thank you to Macy's for a $3,000 grant to Loaves and Fishes of Contra
Costa! Macy's, Inc. supports thousands of nonprofit organizations
annually because they believe giving back is the right thing to do. It's
a long-standing tradition and one that they are very proud of. Their
employees also believe in giving back. Employees donated more than
122,000 hours of their personal time to community service.
Creek Monkey Tap opening benefits Loaves and Fishes
Jim Blair the owner of Creek Monkey Tap, 611 Excobar, Martinez,CA,
generously donated over $1,300 from the soft opening of his brewery /
restaurant to Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa in October 2011.
GenOn Community Golf Benefit supports Loaves and Fishes
On Saturday, August 27th GenOn Energy held its 9th Annual Community
Golf Benefit at Roddy Ranch Golf Club located in Antioch. The event was
sold out with 144 golfers participating. All the proceeds from the event
were donated to Loaves & Fishes of Contra Costa and Opportunity
Junction. David Gerson, Loaves & Fishes’ Executive Director and Bob
D’Elia a Board Member participated in the 4 man scramble. The benefit
included 18 holes of golf, lunch, prizes, and an awards banquet dinner.
Loaves & Fishes received a donation of $8,900 which will be used to
support its mission of feeding the hungry of Contra Costa County.
Kara's Cupcakes donates prize winning desserts to Loaves and Fishes
For the last several months Loaves and Fishes has been picking up
beautiful, delicious cupcakes from Kara’s Cupcakes located at 1388 North
Main in Walnut Creek. Every Monday we pick up the cupcakes and deliver
them to our dining rooms in Martinez, Bay Point, Antioch, Oakley and
Pittsburg. It is a special treat for our clients to get such yummy
desserts. We are serving more and more children in our dining rooms and
these cupcakes delight them.
Leave a Legacy to Loaves and Fishes
Has it really been 27 years that Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa has
been feeding the hungry in your neighborhood and have served over 3.5
million meals to the hungry? We can confidently say, “yes and we could
not of done this without our volunteers and donors”. We are so thankful
for what we have done in the past, but we are also constantly looking
ahead in the future. Our mission, “to feed the hungry of Contra Costa”
is permanently needed in our community. Can you help us ensure that the
need will be met? One simple way to do so is to designate a portion of
your estate to help serve the needy in the future years to come. To
learn more about how to support Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa through a will,
trust, or other planned giving arrangement, please contact Joleen
Lafayette, our Development Director at 925-687-3730 or
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Double your donation to Loaves and Fishes via a Matching Gift Program
How can you help increase the value of your donations to Loaves and
Fishes of Contra Costa? Double the value of your donation via a
matching gift program. A matching gift program is a corporate sponsored
benefit that can help you double your personal contribution to a
charity or cause, such as Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa.
The New Social Fundraising Event
Want to help Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa raise money for the
vital programs that feed the hungry of Contra Costa? Not sure how you
can help? Maggie, a donor from San Ramon, came up with a great idea.
When she recently sent in 5 checks for a donation, she left a great hand
written note. Her personal budget did not allow for a large donation,
so she invited her friends over for Holiday Tea. While the friends
enjoyed tea, goodies, and even a violin player, they also raised money
for Loaves and Fishes.