Member of the Week

Community Action of Napa Valley

Food insecurity is rising rapidly in Napa Valley as the high cost of living, the end of pandemic related food assistance, and inflation combine to create the perfect storm for low-income children, families, and seniors. Ten thousand people – 14% of Napa County’s population – already rely on Community Action of Napa Valley (CANV) for food assistance, and the numbers are growing.

Part of a nationwide network, CANV has been at the forefront of poverty-fighting initiatives in the Valley for nearly 60 years. In 1964, after seeing that millions of Americans were suffering the hardships of poverty, and with urging from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a national War on Poverty. That year, the Economic Opportunity Act created a national network of community action agencies. Nearly 60 years later, the principles upon which these agencies were created remain true:

• We believe that this nation has the capacity and moral obligation to ensure that no one is forced to endure the hardships of poverty.
• We believe that with hope, adequate resources and opportunities, everyone can reach their fullest potential, and we are committed to achieving that vision.

There are now over 1,000 Community Action agencies across the United States providing help and hope, but poverty remains and the work continues. Today in Napa County, the high cost of living leaves many people unable to consistently afford food in addition to housing, transportation, child care and medical expenses. In response, CANV made the strategic determination in 2017 to focus primarily on hunger relief.

Prior to the pandemic, CANV was distributing 2M pounds of food per year; that has now almost doubled. CANV’s Food Bank provides a variety of nutritious food to over 6,000 low-income individuals, seniors, and non-profit organizations throughout Napa County. Additionally, CANV’s Meals on Wheels program serves 450 seniors daily.

Today, CANV operates the Napa Food Bank, 5 Food Pantries, Meals on Wheels for Napa County, Wellness on Wheels, and two licensed pre-schools for low-income students. In accomplishing our mission, part of the Food Bank program is the Napa Food Pantry, which offers seven locations.

Helping & empowering people & communities throughout Napa Valley is our mission. To learn how you can assist in advancing the CANV mission, call us at (707) 253-6100 or visit us at canv.org.

Learn more:
https://www.canv.org