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Upcoming Events
- JOIN US! Community Reception at Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes - Thursday, May 11th, 5:00-7:30pm RSVP at pvloavesandfishes.org/CommunityReception
- BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE Chef Jesse Plasencia's Pop-Up Dinner to Benefit PVLF at El Alteño Restaurant in downtown Watsonville - Thursday, June 1st Tickets are $60 each and are available at pvloavesandfishes.org/elalteno.
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Wish List
- Hygiene Kit Items: New Pairs of Socks, Razors, Soap, Toothbrushes, and Toothpaste
- Needed Foods:
- Canned Chili, Stews, and Soups
- Ready-to-eat and pop-top canned goods
- Protein bars
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Volunteers Judy Schultze (far left), JM Brown, and Karen Shaffer (far right) help Kitchen Manager Maria Gonzalez serve lunch.
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We Love Our Volunteers!
The last week of April is National Volunteer Week. But, at PVLF, every week is volunteer week! With a staff of just three employees, our work is only possible with the dedicated service of our amazing team of volunteers.
Over 400 individuals assist us in our food pantry and lunch programs over the course of the year. Together, they give over 25,000 hours of service! That is the equivalent of an additional 12 full time employees.
This week, we are highlighting some of our awesome volunteers on Instagram (find us @pvloavesandfishes). On Thursday, May 11th, we are hosting our Community Reception (see details below) to celebrate the volunteers and donors that join us in our mission to feed, support, and serve our community year-round.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the volunteers that have helped us feed our neighbors in need since 1989. Our 28 years of continuous service to the community are a testament to your commitment to hunger relief in the Pajaro Valley.
 
 
Above (from top): Gabriel and Mary assist Jeanette in the Pantry, Board members Lin and Arnulfo serve lunch, students from Watsonville Charter School of the Arts volunteer weekly during the school year, Graciela helps clean up the kitchen, Officer Lopez pitches in on the dish washing station, the Kohl's Cares team from Capitola volunteers on the serving line.
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Join Us May 11th!
Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Reception
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A Celebration of the Donors and Volunteers
that Make Our Work Possible |
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Thursday, May 11, 2017
5:00 - 7:30pm
Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes
150 Second Street
Watsonville
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We are proud to be a community-supported organization. It is the generous support and service of hundreds of donors and volunteers that makes our work possible. In appreciation for your dedication to our mission, we invite you to a celebration of our vibrant and diverse Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes community.
Please join us for an evening of delicious appetizers, dessert, beer and wine, and fellowship.
Please RSVP online.
We hope to see you! |
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Doing Our Part to Reduce Waste
Our food system - including the production and transportation of the foods we consume - is one of the most intensive ways that we impact our planet. Every day, the choices we make at meal time impact our environment. By choosing local and sustainably produced foods, selecting items with little or no packaging, avoiding single use items (such as cups, straws, plates, and utensils), and saving or sharing our leftovers, we can reduce our dietary footprint.
One of the biggest issues is food waste. An estimated 40% of food is thrown away in the United States. Meanwhile, 42 million US residents struggle with hunger. Charitable food organizations like PVLF work to address both of these issues by collecting excess food and distributing it to people in need. Our volunteers collect perishable food donations from local grocery and retail businesses six days a week to stock our shelves and prevent food waste. We obtain additional donated food items through our partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County. Our pantry makes these items - including B grade produce and bread and bakery items - available to our program participants.
Our kitchen program also works to prevent waste. We utilize reusable plates, cups, and utensils in our lunch service to avoid sending single-use items to the landfill. Our busing station includes a container for food waste. These food scraps, along with the peels, cores, and leaves leftover from meal preparation, are collected by two local residents for use in livestock feed.
If you have an abundance of produce in your backyard garden or on your fruit trees, we are happy to accept donations during our open hours (weekdays, 8am-4pm). Thank you for supporting our work to connect local people in need with healthy food and prevent food waste.
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Sister Suazo and Sister Bocanegra, Mormon missionaries serving in Santa Cruz County, help sort and recycle food packaging.
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Honorary and Memorial Gifts
Honor a friend or loved one with a gift to Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes.
Your donation will provide nutritious food to local community members in need, and your honoree will be recognized in our e-newsletter and receive an acknowledgment by mail.
Donations can be mailed to us at 150 Second Street, Watsonville CA, 95076, or made through our website.
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