The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank raised more than $1.5 million during its 14th annual gala last weekend, the most in the organization’s history, it was announced Tuesday.
More than 400 supporters gathered Saturday at the food bank’s 90,000- square-foot Miramar warehouse for a gala to benefit the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program, which “provides weekend food packages to chronically hungry elementary school students facing food insecurity,” according to a statement from the food bank.
The program currently feeds 3,777 students weekly across 21 school districts and 99 schools throughout San Diego County.
The evening also included a $350,000 matching gift from title sponsor Neurocrine Biosciences.
“This was one of those nights that really stays with you,” said Casey Castillo, CEO of the San Diego Food Bank. “To see this community come together in such a meaningful way, and to know what it will mean for children and families across San Diego is incredibly special. This level of support is the strongest we’ve seen for this event and speaks to the generosity of San Diegans.”
San Diego County’s largest emergency food response contributor, the Food Bank serves an average of nearly 400,000 people each month and distributes tens of millions of pounds of food annually.
People can donate to the food bank at sandiegofoodbank.org.