The beginning of August always marks the beginning of another school year.

However, this year as schools and students prepare for the most unprecedented school year in recent memory, if not ever, school cafeterias across Santa Clara County are ending their summer meal distribution programs. The “All Ages Summer Meal” distribution that began at the beginning of summer will start transitioning to Fall meal distribution throughout the month of August.

With our school district partners ending their summer meal distribution, it is important to be informed about alternative food resources in the community to ensure food security for our most vulnerable residents.

Here are some alternative Santa Clara County food resources all residents should be aware of in preparation for the 2020-2021 school year.

Second harvest food bank

Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley provides healthy food for residents through a grocery program and distributes food to an expansive network of nonprofit partners at 1,000 sites. 

Interested residents can access free groceries by visiting Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley or call 1-800-984-3663 to connect with a Food Connection Specialist who can help find out if you qualify.  

CalFresh Food

CalFresh Food, California’s name for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP), is a nutrition assistance program that supports low-income families, and even those temporarily impacted, with monthly food benefits that can be used at grocery stores, farmers’ markets, food outlets, and much more.

In California, food assistance allotments are now supplemented with maximum allotments for all CalFresh recipients after the Families First Coronavirus Response Act authorized emergency SNAP benefits in response to COVID-19.  

Visit GetCalFresh.org to apply or call 1-877-847-3663 (FOOD) to be connected to your local county social service office.  

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is a meal delivery program that provides meal service to homebound, older adults 60 years of age and older, living in Santa Clara County.  

Serving 8 different zip codes across the Silicon Valley, older adults are eligible to receive meals from Meals on Wheels if they are unable to shop or prepare meals at home due to isolation or a medical condition.  

For more information, call or visit the websites of the two Meals on Wheels providers in Santa Clara County: 

• Sourcewise – 408-350-3200, option 4 
• The Health Trust – 408-961-9870 or toll-free at 800-505-3367 

Summer might be coming to an end, but food distribution efforts throughout Santa Clara County remain committed to ensuring food security for our most vulnerable residents in their time of need.

For more information on how you can access and find food resources in your neighborhood, go to bit.ly/SCCFoodMap 

You can also go to the Silicon Valley Strong Media Resources & Assets page where you can find “Free Meal” information flyers for Seniors, Youth and All Ages in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese.