The Second Harvest Food Bank in Manteca needs more room to operate and to store its food for the hungry.

Food Bank CEO Mike Mallory said in the fiscal year that ended June 30 the non-profit agency received and distributed some 15 million pounds of food. They experienced big growth in food demands as they handled an average of a  million pounds a month.

Mallory praised his staff of 15 along with the countless volunteers who gave over 5,000 hours last year.  He noted 2,900 seniors are served twice monthly via the Brown Bag program along with 3,800 kids twice a month through Food 4 Thought. That is in addition to supplying food banks operated by 129 partner agencies. 

“We’re doing great.  These guys are doing a great job,” he said of his employees.

The Food Bank’s refrigerator held an accumulative 28 million pounds of produce last year including dairy products causing the facility to be bursting at its seems and limiting what the staff can do in serving the needy in the Northern San Joaquin Valley and neighboring foothill counties. Second Harvest serves as a distribution center to supply those local food banks with donations and items they buy from retailers and wholesalers as well as farmers.

Mallory and the food bank board are looking for a building that can provide additional storage for the time being and operate from two locations.  The cost of a single building has proven to be prohibitive with thoughts of moving the operation to another location, he said.

There are very few buildings available – if any at all – with the loading docks and roll up doors with the potential refrigeration needed for their perishable foods.

He added that last year his food bank has provided 1.1 million pounds of food for kids and 1.3 million pounds for senior citizens. 

Mallory said he hopes to find someone with a building that will fit their needs soon for the demands for their future expansion.