inflation

TLFB Gala Brings in $237,000

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 Gala!

Each donor, volunteer, sponsor, and participant in the live and online auctions helped us raise over $237,000 this year.

As we faced inflation, high food costs, and a growing number of guests, you stepped up and gave on average 13% more than you did last year—filling the gaps and ensuring that each of our hungry neighbors have access to the basic need of nutritious food.

Thank you for your support in helping us continue the daily distribution of food at the Twin Lakes Food Bank. We would not be successful without the generosity of our supporters.

From each of us on staff at the Twin Lakes Food Bank, thank you!

Wow! Folsom Sponsors 350 Under-resourced Students

The Need

Last week, we were preparing for the Back to School Extravaganza but still waiting on sponsorships for 280 students. We asked the community to consider sponsoring a student for $25.

As the week went on, we began to receive sponsorships, but we also continued to have children register to receive school supplies. Currently, 350 under-resourced students will attend the event on August 2 to enjoy time with their family, haircuts, chicken sandwiches, community resources, and more.

Your Response

In just one week, Folsom showed up for our students, and every single one has been sponsored by you all. Thank you!

These sponsorships provide students with grade-appropriate school supplies. Students will receive crayons, markers, pencils, erasers, glue sticks, highlighters, notebooks, pens, index cards, and more. Additionally, the community is providing professional haircuts and hygiene kits. Your generosity is giving under-resourced students in Folsom an extraordinary start to the school year!

If you are still considering giving, click the link below to help us continue to support Folsom’s youth throughout the school year.

Support Folsom’s Youth Here

280 Under-Resourced Children Still Need School Supplies

Back to School Extravaganza

One of our favorite days of the year is quickly approaching on August 2! Each year at the Back to School Extravaganza, Folsom’s neighbors come together to love on local families as they get ready for the first day of school. Last year, 325 under-resourced children received brand new backpacks, gift cards for new shoes, professional haircuts, hygiene products, community resources, and more.

This year, we are working with Chick-fil-A, Folsom Fire, Folsom Police, Folsom’s Hope, and other community partners to give families a fun and memorable experience as they get ready for a new school year. In addition to school supplies, families can enjoy chicken sandwiches, bounce houses, ice cream, meeting firefighters and police officers, and even more.

We Need Your Help

As all of these community partners come together to make the day extra special, we still need your help to provide each student with the required school supplies for their grade level. By sponsoring a student for $25, you can personally touch the life of an under-resourced student in our community. Your donation will provide one child with all the school supplies they need and help them start the new school year feeling confident and prepared.

Right now, $7,000 away from our goal, 280 students still need school supplies, and the Back to School Extravaganza will be here before we know it. Click the button below to sponsor one or more of Folsom’s students and give every child a fabulous first day of school.

Sponsor a Student Here

Your Chance to Make Some Smiles: Only 1 Week Away

Produce volunteers, Ernesto and Maureen aren’t just smiling because they get to serve food to their neighbors in need; they can’t wait for you to join the cause to raise funds during this year’s Big Day of Giving that will enable the food bank to accomplish some important goals for the benefit of our 3000+ food insecure guests. To find out what those objectives are and how you can help us reach our $70,000 goal, visit our page where you can donate until midnight on May 2.

GIVE TODAY!

Big Day of Giving Fundraiser Giving Opens April 18

Big Day of Giving, the Sacramento region fundraiser for non-profits on Thursday May 2, comes at a crucial time at the food bank. Although reports indicate that inflation has flattened, individuals and families living at the poverty level are experiencing no relief at the grocery store, where skyrocketing food prices remain high. This is bringing more guests and longer lines to the food bank. The increased need for food is causing the food bank to expand its food sourcing for items such as milk, cheese, butter and sliced bread and sufficiently manage the long lines of guests that are waiting up to an hour for food outside the food bank, often in inclement weather. The goal to raise $70,000 will enable the food bank to purchase more core food items to meet the increased need from our food insecure neighbors and will fund the project to build an extended awning to provide protection to our guests while they wait in line. The remaining funds will be allocated to replace an inoperable forklift, necessary to transport and store our food donations. Donations will be accepted from April 18 – May 2 at 11:59PM.

GIVING BEGINS TODAY!

Record Lines of Hungry Neighbors

Lisa Tuter, Executive Director

The story on the street is that consumer confidence is climbing, inflation is slowing and the economy keeps growing. The story at Twin Lakes Food Bank is quite different; the long lines of food insecure families coming to us for supplemental groceries every week remains high. They are nervous, not confident. The slowed inflation has not affected the high prices they are paying at the grocery store. The growing economy has not grown much of our guests’ paychecks to be able to pay for essential good and services.

Last week, I stopped to talk to Mary, who was waiting in a long line to be served groceries and thanked her for her patience as she had been waiting almost an hour to get checked in. Mary said that she grateful for the food bank because her finances had taken a hard turn over the last few months and then shared her story. “I am retired and widowed on a fixed income. I own my mobile home but the rent for the space is $800 and takes nearly 50% of my social security income.” Additionally, Mary’s credit card debt mounted due to increased interest rates and prompted her to pay off that debt, essentially draining her savings account. “I am literally living paycheck to paycheck with little money left to purchase groceries. Twin Lakes Food Bank is a godsend.”

Mary and other senior citizens like her are one of the reasons that Twin Lakes Food Bank has gone from serving an average of 1800 individuals to over 3000 individuals every month, since November 2023.

We are grateful to our financial donors who ensure that hungry neighbors like Mary get access to nutritious food through Twin Lakes Food Bank programs and services. If you haven’t yet contributed to the food bank, I invite you to consider donating now and join hundreds of others in our community who are making a difference in the lives of food insecure families