We’ve Changed Our Name from Second Harvest Food Bank of San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties to Second Harvest of the Greater Valley.
While one of the reasons we changed our name is to enable us to be easier to find, it has left some of our community, especially donors, a little confused. Luckily, we’re here to tell you that our ambitions are the same, just our name has changed. You can call us Second Harvest of the Greater Valley. Our ultimate driving force is the idea that possibilities are endless when we work together. In the realm of charity, collaboration can make amazing things possible.
We’d like to take this opportunity to underscore the fact that our PDO’s possess their own fundraising efforts, and at Second Harvest of the Greater Valley, we consider ourselves more of a hub of support. Did you know that 35,000 individuals are in need each month in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, and the Gold Country? 
Second Harvest of the Greater Valley collects and donates purchased food from a variety of donors, agency partners, and even program sites, where it is thoughtfully prepared and then distributed to those in need in our community.
In keeping with the spirit of this update, we’d also like to let you know that we are taking all the proper precautions to protect our volunteers, employees, and recipients alike. The need for food banks and food assistance programs like us doesn’t cease in a pandemic. Instead, the demand for charitable services has actually gone up exponentially.
Please note the following COVID precautions we’re taking at Second Harvest of the Greater Valley:
- We have provided every member of our team handling food with the appropriate PPE, including gloves for everyone at the warehouses.
- Hand sanitizers are clearly placed at a number of easily accessible stations throughout our warehouses.
- We’ve also increased visibility and awareness of the proper protocol about washing hands during a pandemic.
- We’re consistently coaching our team members to avoid touching their facial orifices like the nose, eyes, or mouth, which are hotbeds for germs. We’re also encouraging anyone who is not feeling well, no matter how light their symptoms are, to stay at home. This includes avoiding close contact with people who may also be sick.
There may be challenges aplenty right now, but with the support of donors like you, we can continue to feed over 35,000 people monthly in the Greater Valley, and now, more than ever, we need assistance from the community. In an arduous and unpredictable climate, food scarcity issues become more serious, and part of our ethos is our unwavering commitment to fight hunger locally by feeding anyone in need. Part of our message also pertains to the spreading of hope, which is also integral to our mission. We value the diversity of the individuals we serve and always endeavor to treat each other with dignity and respect.