SAN DIEGO—“Superhero” volunteers from the Rock Church will join forces with the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank in an attempt to collect 32,500 pounds of food during the month of May. Donations will be collected throughout the week and on Sundays before and after services to help the food bank stock its shelves for the summer months, when donations plummet.
In tough economic times, everyone needs hope, especially the estimated 14.8 percent of those in San Diego County who live in poverty. Statistically, donations are much lower over the summer months. In addition, 230,000 low-income school children stop receiving free school meals over the summer, forcing many families to turn to the food bank for help.
Throughout May, in an effort to help the San Diego Food Bank during this season of need, the Rock will be collecting as much food as possible. The goal is to raise 32,500 pounds of food, which equates to 25,000 meals for people in San Diego. People can also donate online via the online food drive, which the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank has updated with their specific needs.
“Many parents will struggle to feed their children three meals a day when they are out of school and no longer receiving free school breakfast and lunch,” said food bank President and CEO J. Scofield “Scody” Hage. “Often struggling families turn to the food bank in the summer for help, which means the Rock’s food drive will help us prepare for this annual spike in demand.”
The church is encouraging volunteers to dress up as superheroes and spend time at the donation truck May 20 to draw attention to the food drive and encourage people to give generously.
This initiative is part of the Rock’s community outreach campaign, bringing people together to address human needs and transform lives in San Diego and the world. The vision for 2012 is to continue to provide Pervasive Hope throughout the community.
This is the third year the Rock Church has organized a churchwide food drive on behalf of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. The Rock Church is currently registered as a food bank nonprofit partner and works with the food bank through its hunger relief ministries.
Established in 1977, the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is a critical component to the welfare of San Diego County, providing food to people in need, advocating for the hungry and educating the public about hunger-related issues. Through a combination of government programs and partnerships with more than 350 San Diego County nonprofit charities, the food bank is a central repository and distribution point for government and donated food. In the fiscal year 2010-2011, the food bank distributed more than 20 million pounds of food to individuals, families and a network of nonprofit organizations that work to alleviate hunger throughout the county.
The Rock is San Diego’s largest church, with more than 12,500 people attending the Rock’s five Sunday services. It was started in 2000 by Pastor Miles McPherson, a former NFL player. The Rock is No. 24 on the 2011 Outreach 100 list of the Largest Churches in America.
