In a year marked by rising need and system strain, community groups across the Bay Area showed how collaboration and coordination can strengthen food access during challenging moments. 

From supporting farmers and community groups impacted by federal funding cuts to expanding prepared meal and produce distribution, Food Connect Bay Area is grateful to partner with organizations working every day to help residents gain reliable access to nutritious food.

As we close out the year, we’re sharing a few stories and highlights that reflect what our community accomplished together. Thank you for following and supporting Food Connect Bay Area!

Filling a Void During Federal Funding Cuts

In the spring, sudden federal cuts to the Local Food Purchasing Agreement (LFPA) program created an immediate gap for farmers and community organizations across the region. LFPA had funded the purchase of fresh food from local farmers for use by food banks, schools and community institutions. When the cuts took effect with just one week’s notice, partners like Veggielution faced a difficult reality: farmers had crops harvested and ready to distribute, but the funding to purchase and move that food into communities was suddenly gone.

Food Connect Bay Area nimbly adjusted our operations, understanding the unique circumstances community partners and individuals were facing. Because so many partners were navigating unplanned funding shortages across multiple programs, our team adapted quickly, temporarily pausing planned routes for one week and reactivating them the moment funding was restored. This ability to pause, pivot, and restart delivery on short notice has become a key part of how we show up during funding uncertainty and emergency response moments throughout the region.

This moment reflects what Food Connect Bay Area strives to provide: dependable, flexible logistics that keep food moving when programs face unexpected challenges, funding shifts, or gaps in capacity.

We’re grateful to be a part of the committed network of organizations working to address food and nutrition access in the Bay Area.

More highlights from 2025

Transporting Prepared Meals Made by Community Kitchens Oakland

‍Community Kitchens Oakland prepared more than 500,000 meals this year for mostly unhoused residents across the city, using both culinary trainees and a network of home chefs. Food Connect Bay Area was brought on to support deliveries for community members who aren’t able to cook for themselves, providing transportation for fresh meals daily. We are proud to support this program to bring dignified, nourishing meals to neighbors facing food insecurity.

Delivering Culturally Relevant Meals with Mothers for Postpartum Justice

‍Mothers for Postpartum Justice is an all-volunteer initiative that provides healthy, culturally relevant meals to Black mothers during their first twelve weeks postpartum. To help sustain this vital support, Food Connect Bay Area began coordinating weekly meal deliveries so volunteers could focus on other essential parts of the program. This partnership helps ensure families receive consistent nourishment and care during a critical period for healing, recovery, and connection.

Celebrating Alongside SF Market in their Ten Million Pound Milestone

‍This year, we joined SF Market to celebrate surpassing the ten millionth pound of fresh produce distributed across the region. Food Connect Bay Area delivered approximately 825,000 pounds of that ten million to community organizations, schools, and distribution partners. This multi-sector collaboration, including Booker T. Washington Service Center, Farming Hope, Mission Food Hub and many other organizations, helped expand access to fresh food across neighborhoods where produce can be harder to find or afford.

Collaborating to Keep Food Moving in a Time of Need

‍Throughout 2025, Food Connect Bay Area continued to collaborate through FAACTS and the Alameda County Food Security Roundtable to strengthen our region’s food ecosystem and shape long-term solutions to hunger. In November, when SNAP benefit delays placed a significant strain on food access, these partnerships became even more essential. As community organizations mobilized to respond, our team joined emergency coordination efforts to understand where support was most urgently needed. We expanded our transportation and logistics capacity throughout the month to help partners keep fresh food moving and prevent service disruptions for families during a time of heightened uncertainty. Read more about our approach to this crisis.

In 2025 Food Connect Bay Area delivered 2.10 million pounds of nutritious food - the equivalent of nearly 5,000 meals a day - shared in households, shelters, community kitchens, and neighborhood programs. These numbers reflect a broader regional effort to make sure fresh, local food continues to move through our system efficiently and equitably.

Looking Ahead and Staying Connected

Together with partners and community members across the region, Food Connect Bay Area will continue building a food system that is more reliable, more compassionate and more accessible in the year ahead.

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Thank you for being part of the Food Connect Bay Area community. Your support will help us build a future where every meal nourishes not just a person, but a sustainable food system.