The San Pedro Food Bank is expanding its community outreach through a new partnership with several island businesses to assist more families facing food insecurity. The initiative encourages residents and visitors to donate non-perishable food items through collection bins placed at participating businesses across San Pedro.
According to San Pedro Town Councilor Dianeli Aranda, the Food Bank sought support from the business community after recognizing the growing need for a wider variety of food. She explained that the organization wanted to move beyond a limited budget and create a community-wide effort by partnering with supermarkets and other businesses. “The goal is to ensure that we can continue helping families with different needs,” Aranda said.
The Food Bank is requesting donations of non-perishable items, including canned goods, rice, beans, pasta, cereals, powdered milk, baby supplies, and other pantry essentials. Shoppers are encouraged to place their donations in the designated Food Bank collection bins located inside participating stores, making it easy to contribute while doing their regular grocery shopping.
Aranda said the Food Bank is also exploring ways to expand its services beyond its current capacity. One proposal under consideration is to partner with high school students to deliver food by bicycle to residents who are unable to travel to the Food Bank. She noted that an adult volunteer would accompany the students, adding that the initiative could help reach more elderly and vulnerable residents.
Volunteer support also remains an important part of the Food Bank’s operations. However, Aranda explained that volunteers are carefully assigned duties to help maintain the program’s integrity. At present, volunteers primarily assist with food preparation tasks such as sorting beans, flour, and other donated items.
The Food Bank does not currently accept monetary donations through a bank account. Individuals wishing to contribute cash or food donations are encouraged to contact the organization directly to arrange their support.
Participating businesses currently hosting Food Bank donation bins include Home Tan Supermarket, Super Buy, Walk Mart, Tan’s Supermarket, and Full Basket Grocery Store.
The new partnerships are expected to strengthen the Food Bank’s supply of essential goods and increase its ability to assist more families in need. Organizers hope that continued community support will allow the program to expand its services and establish a more consistent system for providing food assistance across San Pedro.
For more information, to donate, or to volunteer, contact Councilor Dianeli Aranda at +501 635-3411.