Staff and Retiree Food Drive and Distribution Events

Supporting colleagues through times of need is a meaningful way to strengthen employee well-being and foster a healthier, more resilient workplace.

Food insecurity among staff is a pressing and often invisible challenge that directly impacts well-being, productivity, and retention. In partnership between the UC Davis Staff Assembly (Davis and Health Campuses), UC Davis Retirees Association, UC Davis Employee Well-being, and Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (GSPD SACNAS), the UC Davis Staff Food Access Program is designed to address food insecurity among UC Davis staff and retirees. 

By applying a low-barrier stigma-reducing food distribution model, the goal is to provide scheduled food pick-up events which will provide staff with pre-packaged groceries.

Event Highlights: 

Non-perishable food items, toiletries and shelf stable snacks were collected at four sites in and around the Davis campus, including: Occupational Health Services, the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), Administrative Services West and Walker Hall.

Three walk-up food distribution events have been held so far on June 9th, August 4 and October 7 in the Administrative Services West parking lot in Davis. To accommodate alternate work schedules, the event offered two pick-up windows (7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.). A third pickup shift was added for the October event from noon-1 p.m. Non-perishable food was pre-bagged with varied selections based on guidelines from the non-profit, Short Term Emergency Aid Committee (STEAC).

A special thank you to UC Davis Transportation Services and Human Resources for their vital logistical support in making this event possible.

By the Numbers: 

Thanks to our incredible partners and community donors, the event provided substantial, tangible relief:

• 180 grocery bags distributed to staff and retirees
• 244+ household members served
• 1100 lbs of food provided by STEAC and generous community members along with additional donations from our staff food drive (May 2026) and other donations
• $500 in funding generously contributed by the UC Davis Retirees Association and $500 from Staff Assembly; and $100 from Safeway, along with additional individual donations
• $548 collected through our new Staff and Retiree Assistance Fund as of October 9^th

The feedback from participants underscores just how critical this program is for our staff and retiree community:

• Thank you for hosting this event for staff. Everyone was kind and helpful. It would be great this type of event happen once a month or once a quarter for our fellow staff in need of a helping hand during this difficult economic climate we all face today.
• Everyone was super friendly and helpful. I felt included.
• Thank you for all you do.
• Thank you for having this event. I can’t believe that my household is at a spot where we are full-time career staff but not being able to afford certain things. This was a huge lift for my household. We are so thankful.

Upcoming Distribution Event & How You Can Help

The next distribution event will depend on our ability to procure more food for distribution. Plans are underway to try a delivery model for Custodial, Dining/Housing and Grounds staff on the Davis campus to make the program more accessible. To learn more about this initiative, donate and see how you can get involved, please visit the Staff and Retiree Food Access webpage. 

While the relief provided to our staff and retirees is a milestone, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for additional support during these tough economic times. We extend our deepest gratitude to every donor, partner, and volunteer who made this event possible.