Letter to the Editor: High gas prices hit Mendocino County food banks hard

Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor. The opinions expressed in this letter are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Mendocino Voice. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor feel free to write to info@mendovoice.com. 

Dear Editor:

If you’ve recently had to fill up your car with gas, you’ve noticed how expensive it now is, even at the discounted gas stations. While this situation is difficult for all of us as individuals, it is also having a major impact on everything, including the cost of transporting food from the Redwood Empire Food Bank in Sonoma County to our food bank here in Ukiah—and the Mendocino Food Network in Willits that serves other food banks in the county.  

With the loss of USDA funds last year, the food bank knew it would need an additional $20,000 to cover transportation costs. Now that the cost of diesel is skyrocketing, that amount will not be enough. 

For each of you who donated to the food bank at the end of last year, a big thank you. But did you know that most organizations need regular monthly donations so they know they can count on that predictability? Even if you only can give $5 a month, that equates to $25 of purchasing power for food. And those monthly donations can help cover the increased transportation costs.

When everyone in our community is taken care of, then our community is stronger. You can support this by making a monthly or one-time donation through this website.

Or you can send a check to Ukiah Community Food Bank, Ford Street Project, 139 Ford St., Ukiah, CA 95482.