Mission & Ministry » Local food & energy bill resources

Reach Out Food Pantry

Reach Out Food Pantry is an interfaith and community-wide effort to meet the needs of our food insecure neighbors. They serve about 250 households a month. They are a grateful partner of the Second Harvest Food Bank, and welcome supplemental donations to help fill the gaps. Reach Out is located onsite at St. Catherine Catholic Church, 17400 Peak Avenue, in the building at the back of the property (off Noble Court). It is open Monday through Friday every week plus the last Saturday of the month, from 1:00pm – 2:30pm. Get more info here.

If you need food and live in our community: 

Come to Reach Out during the open hours.  Bring your ID (e.g. driver’s license).  You can receive a supply of staples, meat, eggs, and other items once a month.  You can also come by any day to receive fruit, veggies, and bread as available.

If you can help provide food or monetary donations: 

Food donations:  Non-perishable food items may be brought to the MHUMC worship service.  They may also be left in the donation shopping cart in front of the Reach Out building, if necessary, but best to drop them off when someone is there – often, in the mornings, but always 12:45-2:45pm Monday through Saturday. Any perishable items (garden produce, tofu, tortillas, etc.) should be dropped off at Reach Out during the open hours.  You can ask the volunteer onsite for a receipt for your donation, if you’d like.

Current needs/wants: We are receiving quite a bit less than in previous months from the food bank and are purchasing much of what we give out these days. Second Harvest provides LOTS of fresh produce and chicken, eggs, and milk, for which we are very grateful, but the dry goods shelves are often bare.

Items currently specifically requested include these:

We can also use:

• Egg cartons (to repack eggs from local grocery stores, which often include a broken one)
• Backyard produce (our guests appreciate in-season local fruits and vegetables!)

Monetary donations to support the Reach Out Food Pantry are welcome, and allow them to purchase needed food items that are not in stock on the shelves. You can drop off a check at Reach Out when they are open or make a one-time or recurring donation on the parish website (www.stca.org). Click the green GIVING tab, then Giving-Online, then choose Reach Out and click the blue “offer support” button.

To volunteer:  To serve individuals and families in need, Reach Out is staffed with five volunteers every afternoon.  If you’re interested in volunteering, stop by during open hours and fill out a volunteer application.  You could sign up to work one or more days a month, or be there on designated mornings to fill bags, re-stock shelves, and sort/bag vegetables and fruit.  Feel free to stop by anytime Reach Out is open to meet the volunteers and check out what they do.

Free meals for seniors: Great Plates Delivered 

During the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, Governor Newsom approved a plan to help seniors stay home and stay healthy, while providing economic stimulus for local restaurants.  The City of San Jose has partnered with Santa Clara County’s Senior Nutrition program (that subsidizes our Senior Center meals) to provide 3 free, nutritious meals a day, from local restaurants, to adults 65 or older, or those 60-64 who are at high risk from COVID-19.

Key points of this program:

• Seniors in Santa Clara County can get 3 free, nutritious meals a day, delivered to their home
• Apply for the program through Sourcewise (call 408-350-3200, Option #1)
• More information is available here

You’re Invited to a Community Meal

In Morgan Hill, there is a network of free hot meals served through the week in various locations.  There is no eligibility requirement or form to fill out, just please come and enjoy a nutritious, delicious dinner.  Some meals are provided as take-out only.

• Lunch
  • • Senior Cafe:  Monday-Friday 11:30am-noon (Senior Cafe open at 10:30am), voluntary contribution of $3 for Seniors over 60 years and $8 for those under 60 years of age. A monthly lunch menu is available (PDF).  Get more info here.
• Dinner
  • Mondays, 6-7pm – Community Suppers at St. Catherine Parish Center, 17400 Peak Ave.
  • Tuesdays, 5-6pm – Community Table at Advent Lutheran Church, 16870 Murphy Ave.
  • Thursdays, 6-7pm – Community Suppers at Community Christian Church, 305 West Main Ave.
  • Fridays, 6-7pm – Community Suppers at Grace Hill Church, 16970 Dewitt Ave.