Lake Merritt UMC Food Programs

Our community members are experiencing an unprecedented need for food and resources due to the ongoing homeless crisis and rising prices for basic needs. The Lake Merritt United Methodist Church in Oakland, in partnership with the Alameda County Community Food Bank, has served the Oakland Community for over 35 years continuously to provide free food to individuals and families in need. Due to our consistent service, our organization has become a reliable source of nutrition and hygiene products for the unsheltered community around Lake Merritt and for our elderly neighbors on fixed incomes.

Our clients face uncertainty and stigmatization in many areas of their lives, but we seek to remain an unfailing source of food and connection. We believe in helping our community members, regardless of their race, gender, or socioeconomic status. If you have the means, donating to our fundraiser would help us keep our programs running to continue to provide for our community. If you would like to contribute in other ways, we always need more volunteers to help prepare and distribute meals and hygiene kits! We hope you agree this goal is worthy of your support. 100% of your donation will be used to provide food to those who are hungry. Contributions are tax-deductible (#94-1156847). For more information, see https://www.lakemerrittumc.org/food-programs/)

Currently, we provide food through a twice-weekly program that delivers lunches to the unsheltered and underserved near our church, and a monthly food pantry for the community, serving primarily an elderly immigrant population on fixed incomes. Here is what we have accomplished:

*Twice weekly we deliver lunches to the unsheltered and/or hungry living in our area - We are currently serving 20,000 lunches a year.

*With support from the Alameda County Community Food Bank and other supporting partners like Stop Waste, we are distributing 5,000 grocery bags a year to county residents through a monthly food pantry.

*In the past year, our programs ran on over 1,000 volunteer sign-ups, contributing over 2,500 volunteer hours. Community members, families with young children, college students, local businesses, service clubs, and local middle and high school students.

We are eager to continue this work and to grow in our partnership with many community members, groups and organizations working towards a hunger-free community.

Thank you so much for your generosity; your support is greatly appreciated!

“If you open your heart to the hungry, and provide abundantly for those who are afflicted, your light will shine in the darkness” (Isaiah 58:10)