Our Programs
The programs offered by Food for People are intended to serve as a safety net for those whose circumstances have left them at risk of hunger and food insecurity. Our goal is to provide individuals and households with the emergency and supplemental food they need, while working to address the root causes of hunger in our county.
Eureka Choice Pantry
The Eureka Choice Pantry provides income-eligible community members with access to healthy and nutritious foods. Our system emphasizes both choice and a balanced diet. People “shop” through their food selection process much like they would in a grocery store, rather than receiving pre-packaged bags. The Choice Pantry is located at 307 W. 14th St in Eureka and is open 10 am - 4 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays (closed 12:30 - 1:30).
Mobile Produce Pantry
The Mobile Produce Pantry is a refrigerated truck full of fresh fruits and vegetables that we drive to specific locations across Humboldt County on a monthly schedule to set up a free farm stand-style distribution. The fresh fruits and vegetables come from a variety of sources including from local farms.
Child Nutrition
Our Backpacks for Kids program provides a backpack filled with kid-friendly food on Fridays during the school year for children who are considered at risk for hunger over the weekend. The Children’s Summer Food Program serves children at more rural sites who receive a bag of easy to prepare food to supplement their meals for a week.
Nutrition Education
Our Nutrition Education program includes videos and recipes with the goal of educating the community about cooking healthy meals on a tight budget, especially with fruits and vegetables.
Gleaning
The Gleaning Program accesses and harvests fresh local produce and meat from farms, orchards, ranches, and community members’ backyard gardens. We receive surplus fruits and vegetables from dozens of local farms, orchards, and ranches.
Free Produce Markets
We host seasonal drive-thru food distributions monthly during the summer.
Countywide Pantry Network
Our Emergency Food Pantry Network provides food for 23 pantries and 2 congregate meal programs (soup kitchens) located throughout Humboldt County. Emergency Food Pantries provide groceries to households monthly.
Senior & Homebound Programs
We have two programs that aim to help those 60 and older looking for food assistance, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and the Senior Brown Bag Program. Our Homebound Delivery Program is for adults younger than 60 years old who are too ill or disabled to leave their homes to access our other programs, and requires a medical referral.
CalFresh Outreach
CalFresh is a nutrition assistance program that helps households buy the food they need for good health. CalFresh dollars are automatically loaded monthly onto an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) debit card, which is used at stores and farmers' markets, just like any other bank debit card.
Food Drives
Food donations from the community help us feed an increasing number of people in need throughout Humboldt County. These donations play an important role in supplementing the food distributed by Food for People’s pantries and hunger-relief programs.
Disaster Response
Our Emergency Food and Disaster Program links Food for People with our local chapter of COAD, Community Organizations Active in Disaster. Should a disaster strike Humboldt County, Food for People would work with local groups to make food available to any community experiencing hardship.
Contact our Emergency and Disaster Response Coordinator for more information.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.