One food pantry in American Canyon helps hundreds each month
It’s the second Tuesday of the month and people are lined up inside Harvest Free Will Baptist Church, steering grocery carts loaded with fresh nectarines, elbow pasta, almonds, canned salmon and vegetables, even dog and cat kibble. Mothers balance toddlers on their hips, pointing at goods from the shelves while a volunteer loads up the cart.
For American Canyon residents like Jeff Speech, the church’s monthly food pantry means one less grocery bill eating into his budget.
“It’s actually my first day here,” said Speech, a man in his 50s. He tends to visit the bigger food bank in Napa. But Harvest is closer to his home.
“I’m a vet. I did three tours of Afghanistan,” Speech explained.
In 2021, Speech, originally from San Francisco, had a PTSD-related accident that left him permanently disabled and out of work. Years later, he can walk again — with some effort. Speech and his wife depend on his monthly income from disability, but it can’t cover everything. So they rely on local efforts like the food pantry.
“It’s a little disappointing with the VA,” said Speech. “Sometimes they take care of you; sometimes they don’t.” He gestured around at the dozen or so people waiting their turn for the pantry. “This is really needed everywhere,” he said.
Harvest Free Will Baptist Church is situated on a hill just off Rio Del Mar in northern American Canyon. Church volunteers started up the pantry in 2016, partnering with Community Action of Napa Valley, which runs the county’s food bank as well as pantries all over Napa County.
Patricia Bradley, a church volunteer who helped establish the pantry, told the Current that there is considerable food insecurity in the area. She grew up in Vallejo and was surprised at the need she encountered in American Canyon.
“I would say a majority of our people are seniors or young families, or pregnant moms and single moms. There’s a high senior population in American Canyon, and multifamily units. So we get a lot of bigger households here.”
According to Community Action of Napa Valley, one in 10 Napa residents lives with some level of food insecurity. With major cuts to safety nets like Medicaid, demand is up — while supply chain issues mean food donations are down.
“Harvest serves 122 unduplicated clients every month,” said Lisa DeRose-Hernandez, program director of Community Action of Napa Valley.
In American Canyon, said DeRose-Hernandez, “food security levels are maintaining. We don’t see any decrease whatsoever. A lot of our clients need two incomes to pay rent. It’s a decision to pay rent or pay for food.”
According to DeRose-Hernandez, the pantry system is one of their most impactful programs.
“People are able to come in and shop and grab the items they know they need. There’s more dignity, and it’s more respectful.”
Harvest Free Will Baptist Church’s food pantry is on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Shoppers sign up for a once a month slot and can rest assured they will get what they need on their Tuesday.
