Sahuarita Food Bank & Community Resource Center

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 An enthusiastic group of people gathered earlier this week for a "sneak peek" of the Sahuarita Food Bank & Community Resource Center targeted to open in February 2022.  Tours of the nearly completed facility offered a glimpse of what the new building will be able to offer when fully operational.  Our tour group was led by Executive Director Carlos Valles, who has been at the Food Bank since January 2019.  As he guided us around the 14,300 square foot building, he shared anecdotes, inside stories, and unmistakable pride in what has already been accomplished and what is to come.   Words such as wow, much needed, a triumph, amazing accomplishment, etc., were uttered by persons in our group as we wandered through this wonderful new structure.

The food distribution area will be set up to mimic a supermarket with groceries displayed in two tiers on both sides of several aisles.  Walmart donated shopping carts that clients will use as they make their choices.  A large bank of coolers in the distribution area will hold milk, yogurt, cheese, juice, etc.  Carlos informed us that no other food bank in the country has a set-up like this.

I have taken the liberty of sharing information gathered from the SFB-CRC website with quotation marks indicating when this occurs.  "The Sahuarita Food Bank and Community Resource Center is committed to racial and economic justice in our region. We strive to meet the nutritional needs of the hungry through the acquisition and distribution of healthy food.  In collaboration with community partners and clients, we also address the causes of hunger through education, workforce development, coaching and other human services."

Community partnerships have been nourished and encouraged to create relevant programming that will be offered at the center.  For example, Pima Community College will establish a program to train individuals for careers as nursing aides and assistants.  Currently there are no programs of this type in the geographic area south of Tucson to Nogales that offer this training.   A state-of-the-art computer room will provide printers, possibly including a 3D printer, copiers, and WiFi access throughout the building.  Parenting classes will be offered as well as food prep classes that will demonstrate the preparation of healthy, nutritious meals.  The commercial kitchen will also provide the opportunity for people to learn how to develop in-home food-related products that can be sold.  Workforce development courses are also an integral part of the proposed services.

"The Sahuarita Food Bank was founded in 2009 at the request of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, which identified an unmet need for food in Sahuarita and nearby communities. The Good Shepherd United Church of Christ in Sahuarita began hosting a food bank to assist a few families a week.  Today, the number of families served weekly has grown to nearly 300 and is expected to continue to increase."

"The Sahuarita Food Bank incorporated in early 2018 as a nonprofit organization operating independently from The Good Shepherd, which continues to enthusiastically support and be actively involved with our operations.  Our status as an independent nonprofit agency enables us to grow and expand our services, operations and facilities to better meet the needs of our community."

"We are committed to our core values of collaboration, excellence, innovation and justice."

John and I are so very pleased to attend a church that opened its doors in 2009 to the food bank.  We continue to support the efforts of this much-needed service that exemplifies the good that can come from "collaboration, excelling in delivery of service, committing to addressing the root causes of hunger, advocating for social justice, and promoting diversity and inclusion." 

The development and growth of the SFB-CRC is a shining example of what might be replicated in other parts of our country where there is community vision, commitment, and enthusiastic hard-working volunteers.