The number of people accessing Ramona’s food banks has seen a sharp increase over the past three months, according to several local organizations that distribute free food to those in need.
Although proposed federal cuts to the two major hunger relief programs servicing the area — the San Diego Food Bank and Feeding San Diego — may impact their ability to help, both organizations say they remain ready to meet local needs.
First Congregational Church partners with Feeding San Diego for their Farmers Market on the second Friday of each month. The program at 404 8th St. offers free, fresh produce and food to anyone who asks, said Dolores Mortier, program manager.
“We’re seeing a steady increase in the amount of food we distribute — the need is getting greater,” Mortier said.
The food is distributed to about 500 families, divided among seniors at an apartment complex and a mobile home park, people who come directly to the church and working families who can’t make ends meet due to the rising cost of groceries and unemployment, she said.
The families are each given a bag of produce and a bag of dry goods. All they have to do, she said, is “show up and stand in line.”
Feeding San Diego delivers the food to the church for distribution.
“Our average food delivery is about 1,700 pounds of canned and packaged food we buy at a discount from Feeding San Diego and 4,500 pounds of produce, including fruits and vegetables, which is provided for free except for a small delivery charge,” Mortier said.
The church typically hosts various fundraisers to cover the purchase price of the food, but with the expected increased need they are looking at applying for grants and asking for more private donations, she said.
Feeding San Diego not only operates a mobile pantry and a food pantry in Ramona, but works with several churches and nonprofits in town.
Since the organization doesn’t rely as much on federal funding sources, it is less likely to feel an impact from federal cutbacks, said Carissa Casares, senior communications manager.
“Feeding San Diego is 90% individual donations and 10% from local, state and federal sources,” Casares said. “So far, only one national program has been cancelled, the Local Food Purchase Agreement. While it is a loss, it is not going to upend our program.”
The Local Food Purchase Agreement program provides funding so food banks can purchase their food from local farmers. But San Diego County’s almost $4.6 million LFPA funding grant, from 2024 to 2026, was not renewed after the latest federal round of cuts.
“While Feeding San Diego hasn’t reduced the amount of food being donated, no more has been added,” Casares said, noting the organization is continuing to connect with local food donors, as well as working on grants and other fundraising efforts.
The ability of food banks to continue providing all the help that is required is being tested by the current federal cuts, so there is a need for community resources to make life easier for those struggling, Casares said.
“If people want to continue to have safety nets in their communities, they should consider donating to local nonprofits,” she said. “And your local farmer.”
The Ramona Food and Clothes Closet (RFCC) has also seen an increase in the number of families receiving food assistance.
Working with both Feeding San Diego and the San Diego Food Bank, the RFCC provides food distribution not only in Ramona, but areas of the backcountry with no food bank services, such as Borrego Springs and Warner Springs.
“Before December 2024, we were serving about 1,100 to 1,200 households. Now it’s 3,000 to 4,000 households,” said Yomi Minnitt, who operates the RFCC food distribution program.
“It’s everybody, every age group, seven days a week,” Minnitt said. “It’s seniors, it’s people with big families, it’s homeless, it’s teenagers living out of their cars.”
The RFCC distributes 200 to 300 pounds of food, with more on the weekends, which comes from sources such as Aldis, Albertsons, Costco, Amazon Fresh and Panera Bread, she said.
There are also two food truck deliveries.
A Feeding San Diego-sponsored truck shows up in the facility’s parking lot at 773 Main St. on the third Friday of every month at 9 a.m. Each family receives 20 to 25 pounds of perishable food items, on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no requirements for eligibility.
The San Diego Food Bank also provides a once-a-month food delivery for the elderly and disabled, although recipients must meet specific requirements regarding age, disability and income, Minnett said.
“None of it is going to waste. As soon as it comes in, it goes back out,” she said. “Rents are going up, food costs are going up, it’s just hard and people need the help.”
Karissa Wilburn, communications manager for the San Diego Food Bank, said they have seen federal cuts to the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides food to 90,000-plus individuals through 74 partner agencies in San Diego.
The cuts have resulted in the loss of 1.85 million pounds of food, or 1.5 million meals, she said.
Wilburn said they plan to mitigate the loss by relying on emergency funds made possible by private philanthropy, as well as community .
“When federal assistance for food distribution programs declines, we have to stretch our resources even further to meet the need,” she said.
The Mountain View Community Church food ministry program, managed by Heather Winters, partners with Fresh Rescue, a San Diego Food Bank program in which edible, surplus food from grocery stores and restaurants is set aside for nonprofit partners to collect on a scheduled basis.
“We feed 350 families a month, or close to 1,000 people every week,” said Winters, noting that the program started eight years ago with 50 families.
“We distribute 120,000 pounds of food a year; it takes a community to meet that need,” she said.
Winters said a big chunk of the people they help are young families, seniors and people who need some help for a few months to get back on their feet. Nearly all are long-term Ramona residents, plus a few Santa Ysabel and Julian households.
A refrigerated vehicle, purchased through a Feed San Diego grant, allows church volunteers to pick up the items directly from participating businesses.
The church distributes food boxes every other week from its 1191 Meadowlark Way location and recipients are notified from a call list.
“Each box contains about 50 to 60 pounds of food, with a balance of produce, bakery and meat,” Winters said. “We don’t deny anybody, they just need to fill out a basic form.”
The church also maintains a food pantry.
Winters said the church is working to build more distribution teams, so that more stores can be added to the pick up list and more families can be helped.
“We could have two teams going out and picking up food,” she said. “It’s becoming more of a need and I can see us growing.”
Wilburn said food relief organizations remain committed to their mission of helping those in need.
“It’s an ever-evolving situation, but we remain unwavering in our mission,” she said. “We’ve faced crises before —the pandemic, wildfires, economic downturns — and we’re committed to ensuring no one falls through the cracks. We’re built for this.”
Here’s how to reach the organizations discussed in this story:
First Congregational Church, 404 8th St., 760-789-3348 or fccramona.org/events. Free Farmers Market is held second Friday of every month, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Ramona Food and Clothes Closet, 773 Main St., 760-789-4458 or foodandclothescloset.org. Free food daily.
Mountain View Community Church, 1191 Meadowlark Way, 760-789-0866 or mvccramona.org. Free food distribution.
Feeding San Diego, 858-452-3663, feedingsandiego.org
San Diego Food Bank, 858-527-1419, sandiegofoodbank.org
