Feeding San Diego holds emergency food distribution at Pechanga Arena on March 9

FEEDING SAN DIEGO HOLDS EMERGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTION AT PECHANGA ARENA ON MARCH 9

Event part of the organization’s effort to hold large-scale distributions in areas identified with an increased need for food assistance caused by the pandemic

SAN DIEGO (March 5, 2021) — Feeding San Diego, the county’s leading hunger relief and food rescue organization, continues to hold large-scale food distributions throughout San Diego County to address the continued need for increased food assistance. The next one will be held on Tuesday, March 9 at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

This distribution comes on the heels of several successful large-scale distribution efforts, including one held at LEGOLAND® California Resort earlier this week in which total served exceeded 3,000 people. Pechanga Arena was also the location during the month of February for a series of four distributions held specifically for those in the hard-hit hospitality industry, which served more than 9,000 people. Almost a year into the pandemic the need is still present and large-scale distributions will continue to be held, with Feeding San Diego focusing on areas most in need.

Those who attend will be given information about Feeding San Diego’s additional sites that they can access year-round.

“Unfortunately, we will continue to see increased need for food assistance long after everything reopens,” said Dan Shea, CEO of Feeding San Diego. “It’s our responsibility to continue to serve as a lifeline for anyone facing hunger, even after we start to feel a bit of a return to normal.”

What: Drive-through distribution where volunteers place food directly in the trunk, always keeping six feet of distance. All attendees are asked to wear a mask. Attendees must register via the link here: https://feedingsandiego.app.rsvpify.com/.

When: 10 AM to 12 PM on Tuesday, March 9 Where: Pechanga Arena San Diego (3500 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110)

Interview Opportunities: Feeding San Diego team members are available for interviews. Please contact Allison Glader to arrange an interview day-of.

Volunteer Opportunities: Those interested in volunteering at this site or others can register here: https://feedingsandiego.volunteerhub.com/. These emergency distributions are in addition to the ongoing distributions the organization holds weekly, which can be found on Feeding San Diego’s Find Food map (feedingsandiego.org/findfood). Many people are facing hunger for the first time and don’t know where to turn. One of the objectives of these emergency distributions is to empower people with the information they need to navigate this crisis over the long-term. In addition to food, recipients of the distributions receive information about how to access other Feeding San Diego distributions close to their homes as well as information about CalFresh and how the organization can help them apply.

To help people facing hunger during the pandemic, San Diegans can give online to enable Feeding San Diego to continue its critical work during this time.

ABOUT FEEDING SAN DIEGO

Feeding San Diego is a non-profit organization on a mission to connect every person facing hunger with nutritious meals by maximizing food rescue. Established in 2007, Feeding San Diego is the leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization in San Diego County and the only Feeding America affiliate in the region. Feeding San Diego provides more than 31.2 million meals every year to children, families, seniors, college students, military families, and veterans in partnership with a network of 320 local charities, schools, faith communities, meal sites, and food pantries. Last year, more than 92 percent of the food provided to the community was rescued. By diverting more than 27 million pounds of food from the landfill, Feeding San Diego reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent, which is comparable to taking 5,300 cars off the road for one year. To learn more about Feeding San Diego and its COVID-19 response, visit feedingsandiego.org.