“Food Shift is our primary source of fresh produce. The fresh fruit and vegetable bags that we receive each week are wonderfully prepared and help us address the deep food insecurity in East Oakland. Our work has dramatically intensified and expanded to address the food insecurity and essential needs of Oakland’s most vulnerable populations during this time. The unhoused community is facing extreme food insecurity as many of the community donors they rely on for food are sheltering in place.”
Author: Celena Chang
“Food Shift assists us with produce so that we’re able to provide balanced meals to community members in Oakland who have fallen on hard times. Due to the recent pandemic we have seen the need for meals and food boxes rise, and we wouldn’t be able to meet the need without Food Shift’s help.”
“Tonight I’ll have something on my table to eat with my little one. I don’t need to run to the store because I have food. Bless all of you.”
“During a health crisis that forces all of us to “take refuge in place,” the last thing anyone should think about is “where am I going to find money to feed my family?”, How am I going to secure the income, gas, and electricity”, “how am I going to buy my family’s needs?” These are all common questions asked by many people, especially our Maya Mam immigrant community. We are very thankful that we’re partnering with Food Shift because many of our people are getting fresh food.”
“Food Shift is at the very forefront of exploring the links between food, community, economic empowerment, inclusion and health.”
“Food Shift provides us with high quality, fresh produce that is hard to get otherwise.”
“It is simply unacceptable in a society so prosperous as ours to miss the mark so widely in connecting food resources with glaring unmet needs. Food Shift is part of a growing effort to go farther and create something better. They are finding creative and effective ways to construct food systems that deliver health and sustainability to our communities. We are proud to support that work and we also know that we will share in the benefits. Keep up the great work!”
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Kimberly Tomicich, Intern
“I joined Food Shift because of the mission, and I stayed because of the people. While working with Food Shift, there was never a dull moment. I was consistently empowered by the tasks I took on, and inspired by my colleagues’ brilliant ideas for shifting food systems in a less wasteful direction. Every time I had a chance to tout the mission and ideals of Food Shift to event participants or to my friends, I felt so proud to be part of an organization that is paving the way for a true food shift. Volunteering with Food Shift was an empowering experience that gave me practical career skills, an enhanced awareness about the issue, and personal connections to the food justice network in Oakland.”
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Ben Trombley, SV2 Member
“Food Shift’s team is beyond passionate about the problem of food waste and has shown a scrappy ability to affect real change. By convincing companies like Andronico’s to adopt food recovery programs, they’re proving that food recovery is a sustainable and expandable solution in the business’s best interest.”
“Working with Food Shift has been an invaluable springboard to a career in grant writing for nonprofits. More than any certification course, this taught me the day to day requirements and processes used to do grant writing from initial research to letters of thanks. The experience was instrumental in securing the contract I now hold as a grant writer. The team at Food Shift has managed to be present and work very collaboratively with me in spite of the fact that I live on the opposite coast. They are deeply passionate about the interconnected issues of food waste and hunger, and I would absolutely recommend volunteering with this incredible organization!”