21 donor-advised funds granted a total of $305,000 to local food organizations
In late 2025, as the nation’s longest-lasting government shutdown threatened essential services like SNAP benefits, EBCF’s donor community responded to the moment nimbly and with generosity.
Despite being one of the wealthiest regions in the country, food security is a major issue in Bay Area. About 1 in 4 Alameda County residents experience food insecurity, with nearly 180,000 people relying on SNAP / CalFresh benefits as of late 2025. That number is 107,000 in Contra Costa County. Philanthropy has an important role to play.
Between October and December of last year, twenty-one donor-advised funds granted a total of $305,000 to area organizations, helping to ensure food security in the Bay Area. The grants, benefiting organizations like the Alameda County Community Food Bank, Berkeley Food Network, and Meals on Wheels, ranged in size from $2,000 to $100,000, demonstrating a wide range of collective impact. The vast majority of these gifts were unrestricted, demonstrating a shared commitment to trust-based philanthropy and an understanding that the most effective solutions to the East Bay’s challenges come from the community itself.
“Food security should always be recognized as a fundamental human right. When East Bay families were abruptly denied the federal food assistance they qualified for and counted on, there was no question about answering EBCF’s call for help,” Maura Shannon and Maria Sutter said. “We are grateful that EBCF helped us support our East Bay neighbors in a clearly impactful way when it mattered.”
Another donor said, “As more and more people struggle to make ends meet, it’s important to us that every family in our community be able to put food on the table.”
To help the East Bay thrive, EBCF pools the financial resources of individual donors, families, businesses, government, and foundations and moves that capital into the community where it is needed most. Our team’s deep understanding of the region and our staff members’ relationships and lived experiences help donors and fund advisors reach their philanthropic goals. Last fall, our philanthropy team fielded an influx of calls from donors looking to address the growing risk of hunger in the region.
If you’d like to discuss opportunities to increase the impact of your charitable giving or learn more about the biggest needs facing East Bay communities, our Philanthropy team is available to answer questions. You can reach them at philanthropy@eastbaycf.org or 510-208-0845.
Photo Credit: Brooke Anderson
