Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) celebrates as FARSB Hunger Resource Center in Riverside hits their 1st anniversary milestone, marking the first full year of operation as the food bank’s second building – which encompasses a Learning Center, the Fresh Start Pantry by Goodman, and a CalFresh Resource Center.
“This journey has allowed us to strengthen our connection with our community, offer more intentional services, and become a beacon of hope,” said Carolyn Fajardo, CEO of FARSB. “We’re excited to keep adapting to meet emerging needs and are incredibly thankful for the support that’s helped us continue to reach and impact our neighbors in new ways,” Fajardo continued.
Within the first year, the CalFresh Outreach team has submitted over 2,100 applications for qualifying individuals, served an average of 200 households per month since the opening of the Fresh Start Pantry by Goodman in January 2025, and opened 27 additional volunteer shifts for the Grab n’ Go child hunger program alone. There were four additional volunteer shifts each week for pantry neighbor assistance and restocking food items, totaling over 100 new available shifts for volunteers to choose from.
The Hunger Resource Center is a major expansion for FARSB as it moved the administrative staff and housed the first on-site choice pantry in the food bank’s history. Along with the pantry, the food bank has hosted resource fairs, cooking demonstrations, and child nutrition education classes. With the acquisition of the new space, the food bank aimed to expand with the growing needs of the Inland Empire community and has plans to continue with that goal.
For more information about FARSB’s programs, please visit: FeedingIE.org.
Photo credit: Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino
About Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino
Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) is leading the fight against hunger in the Inland Empire by providing food access, emergency relief, education, and advocacy to families in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. FARSB opened in 1980 as Survive Food Bank in response to the increasing concern about the dual problems of hunger and food waste in the Inland Empire. Today, FARSB is the primary food source for over 250 local nonprofit organizations, distributing over 3.1 million pounds of food monthly to emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, high-need elementary schools, senior centers, after-school programs, and more. With the help of these community partners, they make up the largest hunger-relief organization serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, ultimately making food security a reality for over one million households every year. Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino proudly holds the 2025 Guide Star Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of transparency achievable through Guide Star. For more information, visit http://www.FeedingIE.org
Contact:
Rachel Bonilla
951-359-4757 ext.117 (office)
rbonilla@feedingamericaie.org (email)
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