Livermore Church Hosts Free Grocery Drive Through

Responding to the people in the community who are hit hard by the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic, St Michael’s is deciding to act by offering a free grocery drive through. Residents are invited to drive through the church’s parking lot, pop the trunk, and volunteers will place inside a kit of eggs, milk, potatoes, zucchini, carrots, lettuce, bell peppers, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, citrus, rice and beans and more.

“Local food pantries are doing a good job with canned and dry goods for people in need,” says Tina Gregory, Communications Coordinator at St Michael’s. “But we get calls to the church often asking for fresh fruits and vegetables, milk and eggs. We aim to fill the food gap with healthy choices.”

Since the Alameda County Food Bank is not accepting new partnership applications until January, church members are rallying to make it happen on their own with their own money. With $1,200 in donations to buy groceries, volunteers will assemble 100 kits for individuals and families who are struggling.

“We hope to partner with Alameda County Food Bank in the future. Obtaining no cost or low-cost fresh food is of course better than spending thousands of dollars each month. We just hope that there can be an exception made to hasten the process before January. People need our help before then. But we will do what it takes,” Gregory said.

Without a partnership with the Food Bank, St Michael’s is grateful to have received donations from local businesses like Contreras Market, Grocery Outlet, Fertile Ground Works, Paxti’s Pizza and Noah’s Bagels. Parishioners also donated oranges and tangerines to help round out the food kits.

The news of the Free Grocery Drive Through is spreading fast. Livermore Joint Unified School District sent the event information out to all Livermore families. Livermore Housing Authority delivered the event flier to the doorsteps of every apartment resident. Senior centers and local agencies are all sharing. The drive through volunteers are expecting to be overwhelmed by guests.

Rev Carl Arcosa, pastor at St Michael Church emphasized the urgency of the project. “The time is now, during this pandemic, to help our Livermore neighbors who are out of work and struggling to put food on the table. We can’t wait 5 or 6 months. We can’t sit idly by when families are hungry.”

Volunteers are also making porch deliveries to seniors and those who are sick or homebound. After August 22, St Michael’s will do it all again every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month.

For information about St Michael’s Free Grocery Drive Through, visit StMichaelLivermore.com or call 925-447-1585

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St Michael Catholic Church is the largest, most culturally diverse parish in the Tri Valley and has been at the same location in Livermore since 1918.