Lafayette “Men’s Book Club” Fights Food Insecurity

Dec. 23, 2020

The Lafayette “Men’s Book Club” ­– an informal group of 48 local dads who know each other through their wives and children ­– does not read many books. None in fact. More likely, you will find them in a backyard pitching horseshoes, drinking beer and eating BBQ.

But with pandemic restrictions advising households not to comingle, the MBC opted to come together this holiday season in a different way; by opening their purse strings, seeking corporate matches, and tackling the problem of food insecurity.

“We raised $7,200 from a few of our members,” said Ross Goodheart, MBC’s Founder and President. “When we turned that over to the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano, they were able to win matching fund, allowing us to net $14,400, enough to purchase 28,800 meals.”

Ross, a market trader with a local financial firm, notes that MBC members volunteer annually at the Food Bank’s Concord warehouse, doing so since the club’s inauguration in 2010. He readily admits his self-anointed title of President is tongue-in-cheek, but none of the other members seem to mind and the MBC doesn’t exactly have rules.

“My only demand is that members answer my e-mail invitations, whether to get together or to volunteer or make a contribution,” said Ross. “The answer can be yes or no, but if you don’t bother to respond, as another president might say, ‘you’re fired’.”