Food for Thought - Community Hero

Nominated by

Elana Nelson

Presented by

John Sawyer, City Council Member

About

For over 30 years, Food for Thought has provided the residents of Sonoma County with healthy food through their thousands of volunteers' hard work and dedication. Food for Thought is a non-profit started in 1988 by a handful of compassionate citizens who wanted to meet the most basic needs of those with HIV and AIDS in their community.

They have not only continued this work but expanded their services dramatically in the past three decades. Their numerous services today include cultivating and maintaining their garden, where they harvest vegetables to distribute to people and provide ingredients for volunteers to prepare home-cooked meals in Food for Thought's commercial kitchen. Volunteers also collect and bag groceries for clients, either picked up or delivered to residents' homes. Younger volunteers also help with food drives throughout the year. Food for Thought volunteers also delivers freshly cooked meals to people's homes using dozens of driving routes throughout the county.

Over 800 individual volunteers provided $362,600 worth of hours to Food for Thought this year alone and saved 12,705 homes. They truly have a hardworking and dedicated group of volunteers who offer their time seven days a week, some of whom have been volunteering since the beginning, and their volunteers reflect the diversity of our community.

Congratulation to Food for Thought for being a Community Hero and a 2022 Santa Rosa Merit Award Winner!