SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As food costs rise, what happens to people who work full-time jobs and make too much money to qualify for food stamps or other government assistance programs – but not enough to fully afford to feed their families?
That's where Porchlight Community Services steps in. It's a grassroots food bank that Claudia Montenegro helped found in 2017, distributing food from the light of her back porch and other similar locations.
"You know, a lot of people shared that they were living paycheck to paycheck," Montenegro said.
Since then, and thanks to a small army of volunteers, Porchlight has grown into a new space in an office park in Kearny Mesa – but the goal remains the same. For a fee of around $35, shoppers with an appointment can fill their baskets with fruits and vegetables, dairy products, baked goods and other items rescued from grocery stores and restaurants. The savings can be significant – up to $200, according to Montenegro. That money can then be used for other pressing needs.
"We've had families pay down debt, save enough money to go back to school, and allow themselves to improve their situation."
Sunshine Johnson volunteers at Porchlight and is also a client; she is saving enough to help pay for expensive dental procedures. She says a major appeal of the program is that shoppers get to pick out things they and their families actually want to eat.
"They're just not walking away with a box of food, saying, 'Here you go, take this food.' They can pick out what they want, they can handle the food...they can see what they're getting," Johnson said.
The program is also eco-friendly, saving tons of food from ending up in local landfills. Montenegro hears it regularly from Porchlight shoppers. "They hate food waste. A majority of them tell us they hate wasting food," Montenegro said.
Put it all together, and it's a win for those who need to stretch their food budget, a win for the environment, and a big win for a program that started under the light of a porch.
"That's what's kind of guided us. It's the light. It gives us hope. It lights the way."
Thanks to her commitment to helping feed her community, ABC 10News and Lead San Diego chose Claudia Montenegro and Porchlight Community Services as the 10News Leadership Award winners for August.
