Sacramento Volunteers Raise $75K to Feed 2,800 Students Monthly

When retired teacher Lori Jablonski saw a Facebook plea about a little-known food program serving struggling Sacramento families, she knew she had to help. Now she's part of a movement that's already raised $75,000 in just months.

The Community Food Connections program quietly serves about 2,800 people monthly across more than 40 Sacramento City Unified School District sites. Many families are experiencing homelessness or food insecurity, relying on the program to supplement reduced federal benefits.

But the program runs on a shoestring budget with just one full-time staffer, Alejandro Gomez. Without district funding and facing declining grants, it needed a lifeline.

That's when former SCUSD counselor Saralyn Bienvenue took to social media last fall. Her heartfelt post about Alchemist Community Development Corporation's work caught fire among retired educators and community members who had no idea the program existed.

"I had never heard of anything like that," Jablonski said. "I talked to a few other folks, longtime district employees, teachers. Nobody knew about it."

The program started during COVID-19 when food distribution systems broke down. Three years later, it's more crucial than ever as federal benefit cuts roll out through 2027.

Rosemont High School senior N'mah Bangura sees the need firsthand. "A lot of people use lunch as their only way of getting food," she said. "The Alchemist program was a good opportunity for them to get food somewhere else."

Service requests have surged since October. Gomez said the program is at capacity and desperately needs another part-time staffer to manage the growing volunteer network.

The Ripple Effect

The volunteers launched "Full Bellies Feed Learning," a year-long campaign to raise $250,000. That would fund the entire program for at least a year while organizers seek sustainable solutions.

"If kids aren't hungry sitting in the classroom, they'll pay better attention," said volunteer Dave Nagler. The campaign is building momentum beyond just financial support, raising awareness about food insecurity affecting Sacramento students.

With the district facing potential insolvency, government funding remains unlikely. But community members are proving they can fill the gap when officials can't.

Three school board members attended Thursday's open house, showing institutional support even without budget backing. The program serves families across all Sacramento neighborhoods, from Crocker Riverside to Fern Bacon, treating every child's hunger as equally important.

The volunteers still need $175,000 more, but their early success proves something powerful: when communities learn about neighbors in need, they show up.