Second Harvest of the Greater Valley will host a ribbon-cutting celebration marking the opening of Second Harvest’s new 10,000-square-foot warehouse expansion – the latest milestone as the agency celebrates its 50th year of service in the region.
The ribbon cutting is Thursday, Sept. 24, at 10 a.m. at Second Harvest of the Greater Valley, 1220 Vanderbilt Circle, Manteca.
The additional warehouse space can accommodate 348 pallets which is equal to approximately 14.5 truckloads. This provides capacity to store an estimated 290,000 additional pounds of food at any one time.
The expansion will allow Second Harvest to receive and organize more food, move it more efficiently and respond more effectively as community needs change.
“For 50 years, Second Harvest has grown through the strength of partnerships and a shared commitment to our neighbors,” said Jessica Vaughan, CEO of Second Harvest of the Greater Valley.
“This expansion gives us the space to serve more efficiently, increase the amount of food available to our community and better support the agencies that help us reach our neighbors in need throughout the areas we serve.”
The expansion was made possible through community health investments from Sutter Health and the California Food Bank Capacity Program, administered by the California Department of Social Services.
“Through the California Food Bank Capacity Program, we are expanding California’s emergency food network to better meet the emerging needs of communities throughout the state,” said Jennifer Troia, Director of the California Department of Social Services. “We are proud to partner with Second Harvest of the Greater Valley on this 10,000-square-foot expansion of their facility.”
Second Harvest and Sutter Health have collaborated for years, sharing an understanding that reliable access to nutritious food is an important part of building healthier communities.
Some of Sutter’s first community health investments supported Second Harvest’s Mobile Fresh program. It provides 30-40 pounds of fresh produce and assorted groceries to individuals, families and seniors facing barriers to access.
Mobile Fresh trucks are active in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties almost daily, bringing essential nutrition directly to the communities that need it most.
Sutter’s current community health investment for their Capital Expansion Project helps increase the cold storage capacity and logistics infrastructure inside the expanded warehouse. In the past year, team members from Sutter Memorial Medical Center, Sutter Gould Medical Foundation and Sutter Tracy Community Hospital have also volunteered at Second Harvest to assemble prescription bags for food distribution.
“A person’s health is affected by many factors outside the walls of our hospitals and care centers, including access to healthy foods. We invest in organizations that help bridge those gaps,” said Division Vice President and Ambulatory CEO for Sutter Health’s Central Valley Division and current Second Harvest Board Member Amber Campbell.
“When we work with organizations like Second Harvest to address these barriers, we can positively impact the overall wellness of individuals, families and entire communities.”
Second Harvest of the Greater Valley Food Bank opened in 1976 initially serving senior citizens in San Joaquin County.
Over the years it has expanded its reach and impact, now distributing more than 20 million pounds of food to 350,000 people annually in San Joaquin, Stanislaus Counties and beyond through a network of over 80 partners and food distribution programs.
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