Community Partnerships Profile: North County Food Bank

Tri-City Medical Center loves our community partnerships! Our soon-to-be-launched COASTAL Commitment initiative will help Tri-City highlight the multitude of investments we are making in more than 50 local non-profit and community-based agencies who are addressing some of our region’s most pressing health and social challenges.

This month we’d like to highlight our partnership with the North County Food Bank.

The North County Food Bank distributes more than 6 million pounds of food to our community each year. Through their tireless efforts to provide nutritious food to people in need, the North County Food Bank is a vital resource to our community and that is just one of the reasons we are proud to be a continued partner.

Tri-City Medical Center has supported the North County Food Bank since the beginning of their journey to expand and establish themselves as a chapter of the San Diego Food Bank.

CEO of the San Diego Food Bank, James Floros stated, “I had to show my board that the North County community was willing to step up and support the North County Food Bank…. Tri-City was a huge part of that and really from the earliest stages.”

For the last 4 years, Tri-City has collaborated on sponsorship, food drives and their Food 4 Kids Backpack Program.

Food 4 Kids Backpack Program

The Food 4 Kids Backpack Program provides bags of food that school staff discreetly inserts into students’ backpacks before each weekend, ensuring low-income elementary school students have food to get them through the weekend.

Through our matching sponsorship of $25,000 annually leads to more than $50,000 in support that allows the  Food Bank to reach every elementary school in North County, with a total of 1,733 children every single Friday in 37 elementary schools throughout the county receiving child-friendly, nutritious food.

Food Drives

The Tri-City family also holds annual Food Drives on campus and a Virtual Food Drive for staff and the community to participate in. This last year’s drive resulted in 961 pounds of food donated that provided 801 meals to those in need. Additionally, Tri-City staff raised $834.48 through our Virtual Food Drive which is equivalent to 4,170 meals!

Recently the North County Food Bank has moved to a new 30,000-square-foot warehouse in Vista from their previous 5,000-square-foot warehouse. This is a huge accomplishment and is phase 3 of their plan that will enable the Food Bank to hugely increase the amount of food they can distribute.

We are thankful for the amazing work that the North County Food Bank has done to help build a stronger community, one meal at a time. To be a part of creating a healthier community, donate to the North County Food Bank here!

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