THE SEVA COLLECTIVE - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

1. Details of food supply and/or food distribution services to be provided, the tasks to be accomplished, duration of the program and the deliverables to be provided. Services to be provided: We currently run food distribution drives twice per month at Villa Fundamental School in Santa Ana. We would like to continue these drives, as well as add programming that could benefit residents of Santa Ana during some of our non -drive days. If we receive this grant, we will be able to obtain warehouse space to help meet the needs of the community mid -week. Currently, due to lack of budget, it is very difficult to provide service to residents on days that we are not holding our scheduled drives. Our goal would be to provide services in terms of emergency food assistance on other days/times as well with our Walk -In Service. Additionally, we would like to increase our nutritional value of the food that is being distributed to the population, ensuring that well-balanced, protein rich and nutritious foods reach each family we serve. Tasks to be accomplished: In order to implement the proposed services, we would need to complete the following steps: Hire administrative and logistics staff, lease warehouse/office space within Santa Ana, retrofit the space with adequate storage capabilities and purchase transportation equipment (e.g. a truck, forklift, etc) to manage and move our supply. (See above for timeline of implementation) Duration of the program: The goal is for the program duration to be ongoing. The broader vision of The Seva Collective is to be embedded within the city of Santa Ana as a resource for consistent and reliable food distribution for all vulnerable populations for years to come. As long as we are able to obtain and maintain sustainable funding from all of our sources, we will continue to be a stable permanent food source for the community of Santa Ana. 2. Details of target population: Our target population is anyone in need of food assistance. We have focused on being easily accessible to the densest population of impacted and disproportionately impacted peoples. The majority of the recipients are working poor, with families, whose financial commitments are greater than the funds they have available. Many times they are deciding between buying basic food items, unable to even think about sourcing fresh, nutritious food, and fulfilling a living need such as: paying rent, changing a tire, or paying for necessary medical or dental treatment. Our target population to serve are those that have been hit by COVID and inflation who need assistance to make their ends meet, and ensure their families receive well-balanced, protein rich and nutritious foods regardless of their situation. 3. Details of unmet need: The need within the city of Santa Ana is evidenced by the tremendous demand of the recipients related to us by their stories. It is made apparent by their willingness to lineup for our food drives, often waiting for over 3 hours before our start time. This has happened during the height of the pandemic, and continues to this date. Santa Ana is a city with several food deserts and high food insecurity, and we hope to continue to provide services in whatever way we can to help meet this need. One key factor that we have been told again and again, is that there are many food pantries around, however one thing that sets Seva Collective apart is our dedication and commitment to serving fresh and nutritious produce at all of our food distribution events. 4. Details of collaborations with local organizations: The Seva Collective has been fortunate to have developed many partners over the past 2.5 years of holding these food drives. From our first drive, in May of 2020, we have 13