REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute An Agreement with the Salvation Army Silicon Valley for the Distribution of Food Boxes through the End of Calendar Year 2020 [Council Pillar: Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure]
Report
BACKGROUND
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City launched a supplemental food program in conjunction with community partners to ensure that the City's most vulnerable populations (youth and seniors) had access to food seven days a week. One of those partners was the Salvation Army Silicon Valley. The City and Salvation Army have partnered on several occasions to distribute USDA food boxes provided by the Second Harvest Food Bank to local families in the community utilizing City employees in their role as Disaster Service Workers to assist with the distribution of commodities.
While the Santa Clara Unified School District has resumed its meal service to students, the program is not available to the broader community, potentially leaving a gap in service for residents in need. The City and Salvation Army recognize the need for a safety net and have expressed mutual interest in initiating a community-based food distribution to address this need.
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval to delegate authority to the City Manager, and/or her designee, to negotiate and execute an agreement with the Salvation Army Silicon Valley that would formalize this partnership to allow for on-going use of City employees as Disaster Service Workers to support a weekly food distribution program at the Salvation Army facility, located at 3090 Homestead Road in Santa Clara, through the end of the calendar year 2020.
DISCUSSION
The Salvation Army, through its contract with the Second Harvest Food Bank, can obtain USDA food boxes at no cost to the City for distribution to families in need throughout the City of Santa Clara. These boxes contain food staples a...
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