The Save Mart Companies C.A.R.E.S. Foundation is pleased to announce that nine organizations throughout California received grants. All are in communities our Save Mart, Lucky, FoodMaxx, stores serve:
FoodLink For Tulare County – $ 7,528
The Save Mart Companies has long been a supporter of FoodLink For Tulare County, helping them all year long with perishable food donations, a pre-summer peanut butter drive and fundraising during the holidays. This grant will be used to create an innovative farm-to-table educational program. The food bank successfully tested cooking, nutrition and food literacy classes last summer. The program is now ready to expand into full implementation this summer with this funding.
Community Food Bank (Fresno) – $5,000
The Save Mart Companies has long been a supporter of Community Food Bank in Fresno, helping them all year long with perishable food donations, a pre-summer peanut butter drive and fundraising during the holidays. This grant funds a monthly After-School Neighborhood Market at Goshen Elementary School, an area that suffers one of the highest food insecurity rates in the state at 12.6%. Families can get fresh fruits and vegetables at no cost, thanks to this funding.
Covenant House (Oakland) – $ 5,000
The Save Mart Companies developed a relationship with Covenant House because of its ties with the Warriors, which helped this non-profit back in 2015. This grant will help feed homeless youth at its YEAH! center in Berkeley, a shelter that accommodates 30 young people who are fed a fresh, fully-cooked dinner and breakfast, thanks to this funding.
Fremont Family Resource Center (Fremont) – $ 5,000
The city of Fremont is a first time recipient of a C.A.R.ES. grant, which will feed the homeless staying at the Winter Warming Center. The funding comes in the form of gift cards, which are good at any Lucky Supermarkets store. The Save Mart Companies is the parent company of Lucky Supermarkets. The city will be able help feed a couple hundred or so people, who typically range in age from six months to 81+ years old. The food budget is one of the shelter’s biggest expense because it stays open from November through mid-March.
Lemoore Christian Aid (Lemoore) – $ 5,000
The Save Mart Companies has had a long standing relationship with this organization. A previous $5,000 grant earlier this year enabled them to provide Thanksgiving meals to roughly 2,000 families in need. Another grant $5,000 will help them provide similar food boxes for the Easter holiday.
Weston Ranch High School Baseball – $ 3,500
The Save Mart Companies firmly believes that recreation, along with the right food choices, contributes to a healthy life. This grant enables Weston Ranch High School to improve its baseball program with new uniforms and equipment. The money will also help with renovating the playing surface and building permanent dugouts so that student after student can enjoy the sport for years to come.
Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services – $ 2,900
The Save Mart Companies has long been a supporter of Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, helping them all year long with perishable food donations, a pre-summer peanut butter drive, a turkey drive and fundraising during the holidays. The organization also holds numerous classes, including GED, English as a Second Language, computer literacy and job searching skills. This grant will help pay for classroom materials and supplies, as more and more students successfully pass through the courses.
The Friendship Club (Nevada City) – $ 2,500
The Save Mart Companies believes in the Friendship Club’s mission: to engage, educate and empower girls at-risk. This grant will help educate disadvantaged girls about the importance of good nutrition and give them the tools they need to become smart shoppers who can make heart-healthy meals on a budget.
Love INC of Greater Merced – $ 2,000
Love INC regularly comes to the local Save Mart to provide food to families who live at or below the poverty line. This grant will help them expand the number of food baskets that can be distributed and meet any special dietary needs.
CARES stands for Community, Arts, Recreation, Education and Sports and focuses on improving lives under these categories. The Save Mart Companies C.A.R.E.S. Foundation has donated more than $200,000 this year to more than forty organizations in California and Northern Nevada. For more information, please visit www.TheSaveMartCompanies.com, under the Community tab.