IMPERIAL — The Imperial Valley Food Bank is bracing for a sharp drop in available food and funding as federal support programs dry up, leaving the nonprofit to face what its leaders call one of the most critical moments in its 34-year history.
The loss — totaling an estimated 1.5 million pounds of food valued at over $2.5 million — is tied directly to the elimination of two key federal programs, the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program and the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)-funded commodities. The two programs made up 21 percent of the food the food bank distributed last year.
In response, more than 100 individual donors and teams from local businesses gathered to support the IV Food Bank on Wednesday, June 18, at “Together for the Valley,” a community fundraiser hosted by Gafcon and Cambria Hotel to help offset the growing need.
“We had 21 percent cuts in the amount of food that we’re going to receive this year,” said Executive Director Sara Griffen during her speech at the event. “I went to Feeding America’s national average for the cost of food, and multiplied that by what we’re going to lose. And it is over $2.5 million in the value of food. Which is frightening at a time in our community where we’re seeing 25,000 people a month and have for years.”
The cuts come at a time when the food bank is already shouldering an enormous demand. “We were able to give everyone — and that’s people, not families — 20 meals per month that we served,” Griffen said. “That’s likely to be the thing that changes this year.”
In response to the loss, the Imperial Valley Food Bank is shifting its strategy. Instead of distributing primarily donated or federally supplied food, the organization will now need to buy significantly more food itself — something it has long tried to avoid.
“Food banks do not want to buy food,” Griffen said. “But we are in a circumstance where we may not have an option.”
“Together for the Valley” was co-sponsored by Alford Distributing, Shamrock Foods, One World Beef, and others. The event asked for a minimum $100 donation to attend, with all proceeds going directly to the food bank.
“Thanks to the support of our sponsors, all the money, every single dollar that is raised tonight goes straight to the Imperial Valley Food Bank,” said Paul Najar, executive vice president of Gafcon and part owner of the Cambria Hotel. “They’re facing a real crisis with some of the government reductions in programs. And so, we’re delighted to be a part of just a drop in the bucket of what they need to be successful and serve our community.”
Najar said the idea for the event started with a letter.
“I got a letter from the IV Food Bank, because I’ve contributed in the past, and they said, ‘We’re in trouble,’” he said in an interview. “And I called (Griffen) up and I said, ‘I can give a contribution, but is there something more that I can do?’”
That call turned into a fundraiser designed not just to raise money, but to bring attention to the scale of the crisis.
“We thought if we could bring attention to it … we could get the word out,” Najar said, speaking to Gafcon’s role in the event. “We strongly believe that all of our work is community-based. If it’s not helping the community, we won’t take the project.”
The fundraiser comes at a time of cascading setbacks for the food bank. Federal food support is declining at the same time as California’s Cal Food program — state funding used to buy California-grown food for California families — had been slashed in the governor’s proposed budget. The new budget would cut the program’s spending in half from $16 million to $8 million. The food bank’s existing $500,000 allocation was preserved — for now — only after intense advocacy and intervention by the Legislature.
“The Senate and the Assembly came back to the governor with their budget and moved that back up to $16 million,” Griffen said. “And we are really hoping the governor signs that. Because that will help us tremendously at a time when we’re not seeing as much product from the feds.”
Even that restoration, however, is not enough to fill the growing gap.
“Unfortunately, the amount of people we see is beyond people’s understanding of the scope,” Griffen said. “8,000 families (25,000 individuals) a month. They’re not going to give us anything to feed 8,000 families.”
According to Griffen, the food bank’s model relies heavily on wholesale purchasing and large-scale logistics to make its operations efficient. The food bank has a 28,000-square-foot warehouse and serves communities from Palo Verde to Winterhaven.
“We are a very large warehouse. We are Costco,” Griffen said. “It’s hard to move all that food to 25,000 people a month.”
The food bank also lacks a network of satellite agencies. In larger cities, Griffen said, food banks often rely on partner agencies — churches, shelters, and nonprofits — to handle local distributions. In Imperial County, the food bank does all of that itself, which increases the cost of operations and transportation.
“We don’t have agency partners doing that work,” she said. “So, more of that falls back on the food bank.”
Many of the food bank’s supporters have offered donated items or food drives in response to the crisis. But Griffen says those are not scalable solutions — not for the kind of volume the food bank needs.
“Food drives are nice. And they’re good to teach children about being generous and philanthropic,” she said. “But the time it takes to sort that can of soup and make sure it hasn’t expired … no. Give us the (money).”
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Griffen explained that food purchased by the food bank is acquired at wholesale cost and in bulk, already palletized and ready to distribute — a far more cost-efficient method than processing small donations.
“We are better when we can purchase it ourselves and get more for that dollar,” she said.
In 2024, the food bank distributed 7.14 million pounds of food, served 34,310 unduplicated county residents, and supported 1,368 students each week through its Weekend Backpack Program. But those numbers are now in jeopardy as funding and supplies shrink.
The food bank’s internal data showed that 55 percent of its food costs and 30 percent of its operational budget were covered by federal funding. With that support disappearing, IVFB is now asking Imperial County residents and businesses to step up.
“Our communities need our help more than ever,” a recent newsletter read. “And we believe that if anyone can come together during trying times in order to build a brighter future, it is Imperial County.”
According to Griffen, the community’s best chance at helping isn’t in canned goods or temporary solutions, but sustained monetary support. For now, the food bank is trying to absorb the hit without turning families away — even if it means distributing fewer meals per person.
“We will absolutely try never to turn a family away,” Griffen said. “We’ll have to give them less food.”
At Wednesday’s fundraiser, she urged those in attendance to visit the warehouse, volunteer at distribution events, and continue supporting future fundraisers like the Harvest Bowl on Oct. 11 and Palate, Palette & Pallet on Oct. 30.
“I invite you to come tour the food bank so you have an understanding of the size and the scope of what we’re dealing with,” she said.
Griffen ended her speech by calling on the community to do what it has always done best — step up.
“I’m not a hardcore fundraiser,” she said. “But we do need donations. And we need monetary donations. So I would ask the amazing people of this county in the very creative ways that you do things to think about how you can support us in this work, feeding the people of this community.”
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