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Cloverdale food pantry appeals for funds as donations fall and protein costs rise
Summary
Nikki Lane, a longtime Cloverdale Food Pantry board member, told the City Council the pantry serves about 100 households weekly and is drawing down its operating budget to cover increasingly scarce and expensive protein items; she asked the city for help ahead of budget season.
Nikki Lane, a member of the Cloverdale Food Pantry Board, urged the City Council to help the volunteer-run pantry after a decline in donations and rising food costs.
The pantry, Lane said during public comment, has provided unrestricted Friday distributions for nearly 40 years and now serves about 100 households each week, representing roughly 300 people. “Low income residents, veterans, families, seniors, homeless folks, all are welcome,” Lane said. She described a pantry operation that lets clients choose from breads, produce, canned and dry goods and, when available, eggs, dairy and meat — choices she said reduce food waste and respect dietary needs.
Lane said volunteers come from local service groups and churches including Kiwanis, Living Waters Church, St. Peter’s Church and the United Church of Christ, and students from Jefferson Elementary (JEH), Cloverdale High School and Washington School assist regularly. The pantry supplements purchases with donations gleaned through the CalRecycle program and local partners such as Ray’s and Grocery Outlet and receives food from the Santa Rosa Food Bank, she said.
But Lane told the council that availability from the food bank has fallen and become more expensive after the food bank lost grants and donations. “Dairy, eggs and meat are extremely limited and, when available, very expensive,” she said, adding that the pantry has been using its operating budget more heavily to buy protein. Lane said the pantry’s only income is donations and reported “a dramatic fall in donations this year.” She asked the council to consider assistance and invited council members and residents to visit Friday distributions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Mayor (name not specified) asked Lane to leave contact information with the city clerk so staff could follow up and to alert her to the budget process timing. The mayor also said the council could discuss the pantry during the city budget cycle.
The council did not take formal action at the meeting; staff and the mayor indicated they would follow up and potentially place the pantry on a future agenda in coordination with budget discussions.
