Help Us Build a Stronger Food Bank

Expanding Food Access in Del Norte County: Complete critical infrastructure improvements to our Food Bank facility.

The Family Resource Center of the Redwoods is dedicated to creating a welcoming, safe, and nurturing environment that strengthens and supports healthy relationships for children and families throughout Del Norte County. We support families at every stage by providing early childhood programming, parenting education, community engagement opportunities, postpartum support, and access to nutritious food.

A piece of our work is our food bank program—an essential lifeline for thousands of families. What began as a small pantry in 2018, Pacific Pantry, has grown into a county food bank serving more than 7,000 individuals annually.

But the need continues to grow.

Del Norte County has the third-highest food insecurity rate in California, with rural and Tribal communities disproportionately impacted by food deserts, geographic isolation, and limited transportation. Many families simply cannot access fresh, healthy food. Since 2025, the number of families we serve has increased by 16%, reflecting a growing need for access to fresh, nutritious food in our community.

In 2021, we launched our Mobile Market, bringing nutritious, culturally relevant food directly to underserved communities like Smith River, Gasquet, and Klamath. Still, demand is rising faster than our capacity.

The Solution: A Food Bank Warehouse

In 2024, we took a major step forward by purchasing a 5000 sq ft warehouse in Crescent City. Now, we need your help to complete the transformation.

This warehouse will allow us to:

• Store significantly more food safely and efficiently
• Expand distribution across the county
• Strengthen emergency preparedness for fires, floods, and disasters
• Increase volunteer engagement and community involvement
• Build a stronger, more resilient local food system

Our Impact in 2025

• Serving 7,000+ individuals annually throughout the county
• 96% of families served are below the poverty line
• Supporting communities with limited or no access to grocery stores
• Assisting seniors, veterans, and individuals experiencing homelessness
• Tripling the number of people served since 2021
• $270,328 back into the local economy by purchasing locally produced foods in 2025.

Program space used for a food delivery drop.

Holiday Bag packing in the community room of the Family Resource Center.

Emergency Food Boxes staged for delivery during the Smith River Complex Fire. 

Why Infrastructure Matters

When you think of a food bank, you might picture boxes of food being placed in the hands of families. Our food bank is different—we purchase food locally whenever possible and offer families fresh, nutritious choices through our choice-model food bank. Making that possible takes more than just food; it takes warehouse space, refrigeration, storage, security, equipment, and a dedicated team working behind the scenes to make sure those choices are available to the people who need them most.

What We’re Building

Pallet Racking & Storage
We need commercial pallet racking to safely store larger quantities of food and make better use of our warehouse space. With proper racking, we can organize inventory more effectively, move food more efficiently, and increase the amount of food we can keep on hand for our community. 

Walk-In Refrigerator Installation

One of the greatest opportunities we have is access to locally nutritious, perishable food. But accepting more fresh food requires adequate refrigeration.

We are raising funds for the installation of a walk-in refrigerator that will dramatically expand our cold-storage capacity.

This means we can accept and safely store more fresh produce, dairy, meat, and other perishable foods—and get that food to families instead of having to turn away donations because we don't have the capacity to store them.

A walk-in refrigerator isn't simply a piece of equipment. It is an investment in healthier food choices and less food waste.

Security & Perimeter Fencing
 Protecting the food, equipment, and facility entrusted to us is essential. New fencing and other security improvements will help safeguard our facility, improve site security, and protect the resources our community depends on.

This campaign is about more than improving a facility. It’s about building the capacity to fight hunger for years to come. Your gift helps turn these infrastructure needs into lasting improvements.

Donate today and help us build a stronger food bank—one that can safely store more, waste less, and reach more neighbors in need.

Thank you for helping us feed our community.