Berkeley Food Pantry Newsletter

January 2026

Happy New Year and Welcome 2026!

We start 2026 by saying good-bye to the Berkeley Food Pantry, a community institution serving people facing food insecurity for 56 years. The Pantry thrived for all those years because of the heart and dedication of its volunteers, some of whom have been volunteering for more than 20 years! The Pantry’s success is also due to its committed staff, the Berkeley Friends Church and its food ministry, and donors and supporters. We’d like to include a special shout-out for Phil Catalfo and the Berkeley Neighborhood Food Project, which has collected a total of 180,000 of pounds of food from Berkeley neighborhoods since 2012. This amazing project will continue on and direct their ongoing donations to the Berkeley Food Network.

It is understandable that many of us are filled with sadness about the loss of this wonderful organization which has sustained community members and volunteers alike. Friendships have been formed between volunteers, volunteers and community members, volunteers and staff; critical services have been provided beyond food, including eviction defense; a robust network of food recovery has operated for a number of years; and much more has been accomplished through our small but mighty Pantry.

We want to acknowledge the closing of the Pantry, as well as announce an event to mark the end of an era, share what the Berkeley Food Network is doing, provide information about other volunteer opportunities around the East Bay, and share information about what some volunteers are doing to try and keep the Pantry’s legacy alive.

Berkeley Food Pantry Closing Recognition and Celebration

January 31st, 12 noon @ 1600 Sacramento Street

Berkeley Friends Church will hold a gathering at the meeting house at 1600 Sacramento Street on Saturday, January 31 at 12 noon. The church will celebrate the work of the Pantry over the past six decades, as well as recognize the sadness of its closing.

We welcome all volunteers, staff, people of the church, and friends of the Pantry to this gathering. There will be a time to share memories of work at the Pantry and to recognize the contributions of staff and volunteers in what has been a wonderful work of the Spirit and of the community. Beverages and a light lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP on or before Monday, January 26 to Debbie Potter at debbiepotter@comcast.net.

Berkeley Food Network Volunteer Opportunities

Meeting February 9, 5:00 pm @ 1925 Ninth Street

Berkeley Food Network is expecting to see an increase in community need due to the Pantry’s closure and is continuing to welcome volunteers from Berkeley Food Pantry to support food recovery, home delivery, and food distribution at pantries. Berkeley Food Network operates food assistance programs differently from the Pantry, while sharing a continued commitment to dignity and food access. Berkeley Food Network will host an information session for Berkeley Food Pantry volunteers who are interested in volunteering, or would like to know more about volunteering, in the Berkeley Food Network's Community Room. The meeting will be held February 9, 2026, from 5:00 - 6:30pm. If you would like to attend this meeting, please RSVP here. If you would like to volunteer and are unavailable on the evening of February 9, please find information at www.berkeleyfoodnetwork.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or reach out to volunteer@berkeleyfoodnetwork.org.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Truisms, by definition, must be true (at least some of the time). And one truism that we all know to be accurate is that “you get more out of volunteering than you put into it”. Volunteering is very rewarding and, for many of us, finding that new special place to volunteer might seem a bit daunting. To help in that effort, we have compiled a list of volunteer organizations and websites to kick-start the process of finding new volunteer opportunities. Click here to access a list of other organizations. A special thanks to Forrest for getting us started on this effort!

Exploring other Options for the Pantry

A group of dedicated volunteers is exploring whether it might be possible to continue the Berkeley Food Pantry at a different church or other religious or charitable institution in the local area. We are seeking partnerships with groups where bringing our volunteer energy and connections could strengthen existing organizations serving the community. If you have any reasonable leads, please share them with Robin and Jeannette by emailing (if that link doesn’t work, their emails are macmillanjeannette@gmail.com and lobzii@gmail.com). Personal connections at sites with available extra space have the most potential for success. If we are successful in making these arrangements, we will make sure to inform all current BFP volunteers and invite you to come volunteer at our new site! If you want to continue to receive information about these efforts, please email Robin or Jeannette at the email addresses provided above.

Recap: Volunteer End-of-Year Party and Staff Appreciation Event

Despite the news of the Pantry’s impending closure, the December 7 end-of-year party was a wonderful and spirited gathering. Volunteers enjoyed good company, delicious food, and we were fortunate to have carolers – the Berkeley Community Choir – join us and perform several Christmas carols. Party-goers were able to share what made the Pantry and volunteering special to them. “Working with my heart”, “connecting and hearing clients’ stories”, “making new friends – 80 and still trucking”, “helping in one way, and then another, and then another” were among the highlights.

On the topic of highlights, volunteers and donors showed amazing generosity as part of the GoFundMe campaign to thank staff for their hard work and dedication to the Pantry. We raised $7,405, and presented Alex and Chris with cards of thanks and checks at the party. While Max was unable to attend the party, our thanks were extended to them as well. The outpouring of support for staff reflects gratitude felt by all of us for all that they have done to serve the Pantry over the years.

Closing Notes

As we close-out the newsletter, we would like to share some of the feedback from people for whom the Pantry has been a lifeline support, both materially and otherwise. A special thanks to volunteer Ednah Friedman for collecting these reflections:

  • “Thanks so much for your collective devotion and support in this admirable cause to keep us going these many past years.”

  • "...thank you, sorry to hear that [about the closing] but thank you so much for the food and everything and God bless you all." Sharon J.

  • "Thank you for your services… to you and all the volunteers. Will miss you deeply, Happy New Year to all." Sharon M.

  • "Blessings to you all for your help and the volunteers for helping the community be fed. God bless you all for your devotion." Terry J.

  • "Sorry to hear that you are closing you are the best food bank in the Bay area going to miss you thank you. Blessings." Darlene R.

  • "...you guys have been wonderful for my family and from my family to your family we thank you, we honor you, and we love you for all of the energy and thought that you guys put out to the community. God loves you and so do I." Alysa M.

  • "Oh wow we'll miss you guys." Gwendolyn M.

  • "Please tell the Berkeley Pantry I am very grateful for all of the precious food they have provided me with. Thank you." Sylvia P.

  • "I am writing to thank the BFP for the grocery deliveries the last five years. All of your delivery drivers have been very helpful. They are exceptionally thoughtful and very kind. I'm going to miss the BFP in 2026!" Robert H.

  • "...so sad you guys are closing, you will be missed by the community, thank you for your service." Maurice M.

  • "I sure feel bad about you all closing." Marie C.

  • "Oh no!! Well thank you for all you've provided. It has been truly a blessing." Toniya P.

  • "So sorry to hear that the food pantry will be closing. Really appreciate your service and compassion." Andrea M.

  • "I am so sad to hear this, you have been an amazing resource to me and my two kids. We appreciate all you've done to keep us fed. Thank you all for your hard work. Please extend my heartfelt appreciation to all the volunteers." Robin R.

  • "Thank all you guys for all that you do. You are appreciated." LaVera S.

  • "Oh no really sad to hear that, it was really a great help for us to have groceries delivered to our home thank you so very much from all my family and thank you to the whole team of Berkeley Food Pantry." Deepika D.

  • "I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you for helping. Things have been rough." Aaron O.

By the Numbers

We continue to see very high numbers of households that need assistance putting food on the

table. Here are our numbers for the past three months:

October: 135 households per day / 319 total people in households

November: 138 households per day / 328 total people in households

December: 136 households per day / 325 total people in households

Your help getting food to these folks has made a big difference over the years!

BERKELEY FOOD PANTRY

1600 Sacramento Street

Berkeley, CA 94702

(510) 525-2280

www.berkeleyfoodpantry.org

Newsletter produced by George Baranowski, Max Crowther, and Debbie Potter

January 2026