*This is a special feature from the City of San Jose, Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services 

"Volunteering during the pandemic has been a breath of fresh air. It feels good to be able to give back to my community and lend a hand to our neighbors during these difficult times," shared Hannah Mendoza, volunteer at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley (SHSV).

Hannah Mendoza (Volunteer) at School of Arts and Culture at MHP (SoAC) San Jose Distribution Site, January 19, 2021. Photo courtesy of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.

Mendoza, a college student, encourages her fellow college students to dedicate their time with Second Harvest to help residents who are in dire need of food resources.

"If you have a couple of hours to spare during your school breaks, I highly recommend volunteering! You get to meet new people and give back to your community in a fun and safe environment,” said Mendoza.

A Santa Cruz resident, Mendoza is a pre-nursing student who volunteered with the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza (MHP), a partner with Second Harvest during her winter break. She gives one day a week to help fight food insecurities in our community.

Hannah Mendoza (Volunteer) carrying grocery boxes at School of Arts and Culture at MHP (SoAC) San Jose Distribution Site, January 19, 2021. Photo courtesy of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.

"The reason I chose to pursue a career in nursing is because I want to help people. I can't think of a better way to give back to my community during these difficult times than by volunteering at Second Harvest," added Mendoza.

SHSV is currently distributing 11 million pounds of food a month, according to Second Harvest spokesperson Diane Baker Hayward, which is double the amount of food they distributed since the start of the pandemic.

Fortunately, with the help of student volunteers and community organizations, SHSV is actively engaged the need for food distribution to be set across Santa Clara County to ensure food delivery and distribution efficiency.

Hannah Mendoza (Volunteer) loading vehicles at School of Arts and Culture at MHP (SoAC) San Jose Distribution Site, January 19, 2021. Photo courtesy of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.

Partnering with Second Harvest, MHP is committed to a yearlong partnership to distribute grocery boxes, serving up to 600 households at each distribution date. Every household is provided with four boxes of fresh groceries, including fresh produce, eggs, milk and protein.

Volunteers are kept safe, following all safety protocols and CDC guidance.

Mendoza shared, "Everything was very safe. We were six feet apart and we wore masks and gloves. We never even had to make close contact with clients because we simply asked them to open their vehicles and put the boxes inside."

The School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza is a place where families can access resources and assistance. Transforming La Plaza into a convenient, safe location for East San José families to access food, supplies, COVID testing and information they need during this crisis.

If you would like to become an #ESSENTIALVOLUNTEER, sign up for a volunteer opportunity (below) or submit an application to volunteer at SV Strong: https://siliconvalleystrong.org/volunteer/

Each nonprofit organization will be able to provide information about their COVID-19 compliance policies and procedures. #SiliconValleyStrong

To find out how you can access food resources in your neighborhood, please visit bit.ly/SCCFoodMap. #SiliconValleyStrong #SJCares #KeepSJHealthy