9 Easy Ways You Can Fight Holiday Hunger

It’s so easy to make fighting hunger part of your holiday plans. Whether you’re shopping for Thanksgiving dinner or looking to get outdoors with your family, there are plenty of opportunities to support your neighbors in need and ensure everyone can enjoy warm meals during this special time of year.

Here are nine easy ways to make the holidays brighter for people across our community, and help your neighbor gather with the ones they love.

1. Support at the Store

Safeway, NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48 are hosting their annual Nourishing Neighbors campaign in Bay Area Safeway stores. From November 16 through December 25, you can donate $10 at the register to help purchase food for local Food Banks.
Raley’s supermarkets’ annual Food For Families Holiday Hope fundraiser is back. Make a donation at the register, donate online, or purchase Peppermint, the holiday bear, to support neighbors in need. 100% of your donation stays in your community.

2. Beeline to a Barrel

Our orange donation barrels are located in various stores and libraries all over the community, and at all Travis Credit Union branches. Your favorite non-perishable holiday foods are appreciated, as are cans of shelf-stable proteins such as tuna, chicken, beans and peanut butter. You can also drop off food at our warehouses.

You can drop off food at our orange donation barrels located throughout the community – or start your own food drive like our Scout friends do!

3. Work Up an Appetite

Whether trotting on Thanksgiving morning or skating through the holiday season, you’ll enjoy fresh air and movement – and a portion of the proceeds from your day out will benefit our neighbors in need.

Bishop Ranch Turkey Trot in San Ramon, November 28
Brazen Racing Nitro Turkey in San Pablo, November 28
Moraga Turkey Trot in Moraga, November 28
Walnut Creek on Ice at Civic Park in Walnut Creek, November 22 through January 12, 2025

4. Give the Gift of Joy

Making a donation in someone’s honor is the perfect gift for friends, family, coworkers, neighbors – everyone on your list. You’ll give the recipient a heartfelt, meaningful gift and provide the food our neighbors need to make holiday memories. And we’ll send your giftee an ecard letting them know that together you’ve spread kindness throughout your community.

5. Be Our Guest

Go behind the scenes and see the difference hunger fighters like you make! Drop by either our Concord or Fairfield warehouse on Giving Tuesday, December 3rd, for an insider’s look at how your support becomes food for our community. Tours run every half hour between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., with the final tours of the day beginning at 4 p.m. Pre-register for your tour here.

Volunteers at our partner agency Greater Richmond Interfaith Project serve a holiday meal.

6. Spread the Word about Holiday Help

Share our blog post featuring all the places you can find free holiday groceries and meals in Contra Costa and Solano Counties. You never know who in your network might need some support this season.

7. Become a Fund-fluencer

Virtual Food Drives are a fun and easy way to raise funds with friends, family and coworkers. Set-up only takes a few minutes and you can customize a drive to fit holiday plans, like Friendsgiving, a cookie swap or a friendly “The More $ The Merrier” competition among coworkers. Every $1 you raise provides enough food for two meals!

8. Play Match-maker

Thousands of employers will match gifts or volunteer hours given to the Food Bank. Yours might be one of them! Enter the name of your employer here, follow the instructions shown and your donation could be doubled! Retired and part-time employees may be eligible, too.

9. Get a Head Start on Your 2025 Resolutions

Thinking about ways to give back and improve your community as we head into the new year? Our Nourish 365 monthly giving community is an easy-yet-powerful way to make a difference year-round – and any amount makes a difference. Together with other monthly givers, you’ll help provide more than 3 million meals each year for neighbors in need.

We are Thankful for YOU

Thank you for your support this holiday season – and all the days of the year! If you want to see more of the impact you’re making, sign up for Food Bank updates! You’ll receive information about our programs and partnerships, and feel-good stories about your kindness.