Volunteer
While we come from diverse backgrounds, we’re all one community.
Help nourish kids and students as they learn and grow
Your support is crucial to ensuring that kids, families and individuals have access to the nutritious food they need.
Help meet our urgent need for volunteers
We’re dangerously low on volunteer signups. Can you spare a few hours in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Your time can make a significant impact!
Learn how our community stepped up in 2022-2023
We are so grateful for our network of supporters, partners, volunteers and our community who support our mission to end hunger.
Start a fundraiser and help provide much needed protein, dairy and more
Second Harvest ended our traditional food drive program – collection barrels are no longer available. Support our mission by starting a fundraiser today.
Get the food and nutrition you need
The cost of living remains one of the most difficult aspects of living in Silicon Valley– you and your family don’t have to choose between paying bills or eating healthy food. Second Harvest offers a number of free food resources.
Ending hunger in our community
Our mission is to end hunger in our community. Our volunteers, donors and supporters help us provide food to families, multi-generational households, seniors and college students. We offer more than just nourishment, we are helping people in our own community feel a little more secure and find joy in the pleasure of cooking and sharing a meal with loved ones.
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People served every month
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Partners at +900 sites are working with us to help distribute food
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Households served every month through home delivery
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Worth of free groceries are distributed monthly to clients who attend weekly
Now more than ever, we need your help
Volunteer
Donate
Donate
Anyone who needs a healthy meal should be able to get one. Your donation can make that possible.
Start A Drive
Start A Drive
It only takes a few clicks to start a virtual food drive, and share with your friends and family.
How food impacts our well being
Silicon Valley’s Low Unemployment Hides a Cost-of-living Crisis
Silicon Valley's seemingly low unemployment rate masks a significant cost-of-living crisis, with nearly one-third of households struggling to meet basic needs. Despite a 4% unemployment rate, food insecurity affects 1 in 6 people in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. High living costs, particularly rent, force families to prioritize bills over nutritious food. Even those working multiple jobs find their incomes insufficient in the expensive region.
Stress Eating and Our Relationship With Food
Have you ever felt the need to plop down on the couch with a bag of chips or cookies after a stressful day? Maybe you reach for some other type of food that might help you feel a little better in the moment. That’s what we call stress eating and it’s pretty common.
The Healing Power of Traditional Foods – Disney and Diego’s Story
Disney and Diego, a couple from Colombia, moved to the Bay Area just before the pandemic. They faced numerous challenges, including limited income and cramped living conditions. Despite these difficulties, they stayed connected to their Colombian roots by cooking traditional foods like caldo de pollo. Over time, they expanded their culinary skills and attended nutrition workshops to provide nutritious meals for their growing family. Their story is a testament to resilience and the power of food to keep cultural ties alive in a foreign land.
Leveraging SB 1383 to Solve Food Waste and Climate Change
Providing our clients with a nutritious mix of food is a top priority. About half of the food we distribute — 62 million pounds — is fresh, nutritious produce, and much of that is recovered directly from farms.
How You Can Help Divert Food Waste
Food insecurity isn't always obvious and food insecurity myths simplify the complexity of the problems our neighbors and communities face.
CalFresh, Snap, EBT, Food Stamps? Our Food Connection Team Helps Explain
CalFresh can add to your food budget to put nutritious food on the table. Learn more about CalFresh benefits and how you can apply.
Food Insecurity Myths: Top 5 Common Myths
Food insecurity isn't always obvious and food insecurity myths simplify the complexity of the problems our neighbors and communities face.
The Long Term Effects Food Insecurity Has On Families – Ana and Oscar’s Story
After Oscar lost his job in April 2020, their savings was completely depleted within eight months, used as a lifeline to pay for rent, utilities and food.
Diabetes Management Through the Lens of our Community Nutrition Work
Here at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, we know there’s not just one way to prevent or manage diabetes. Having healthy eating habits, exercising, reducing stress and practicing mindfulness are all cornerstones for management and prevention.