Basic needs nonprofits see rise in holiday giving in San Mateo County

“It’s a very important time of year for us,” she said. 

While Second Harvest accepts walk-in donations of unopened, nonperishable foods, cash donations are always the most cost-effective for the organization because of the bulk deals they receive, Gubbi said. 

At San Mateo County-based nonprofit Samaritan House, which offers key basic needs resources to residents, dollar donations are also most cost-effective, CEO Laura Bent said. 

The organization has been receiving a particular uptick in toy donations for the holidays, Bent said, although they still have an unmet need of around 400 to 500 toys. 

“We can certainly use our purchase power to get a larger number of toys with just general monetary donations,” she said. “If not, and that’s not an option, it’s definitely boys’ clothing for a kid’s closet that is in high demand these days, and food continues to be an increased need.” 

Samaritan House continues to see an increase of around 50 to 60 new clients a week, Bent says, which comes at a moment of uncertainty for federal social safety net programs across the country. 

Congressional legislation passed earlier this year will make deep cuts to Medicaid, the government-funded health care program that serves around 72 million Americans, and the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food assistance to 40 million Americans. 

In California, where nearly 15 million individuals are on Medicaid, known in the state as Medi-Cal, changes to the program — like new work reporting requirements and limitations on provider payments — more than 2 million individuals could be losing their health insurance. 

In San Mateo County, about 1,700 people could lose access to food benefits, and Medicaid cuts combined with the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits will also affect thousands of people, Bent said. 

“We’re anticipating, what is that going to look like, and how are we going to be able to support as an organization?” she said. “We [also] operate two free health care clinics, and we’re having conversations about how we’re going to be able to expand our capacity and support some of the folks who may not have health care.” 

Cuts to federal programs theoretically unrelated to food can have a ripple effect, making people more vulnerable and less able to buy the groceries they need, Gubbi said. Although Second Harvest has anecdotally seen more clients coming in at various locations, it can be hard to plan for how, exactly, families will be affected. 

“We anticipate that all these other cuts will translate into greater need in the months ahead,” she said. “But it’s hard to know, it’s hard to plan for. This is a big challenge, because we don’t know what exactly we are planning for.”

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley has upped their distribution budget to give out milk every time a client comes in, she said as one example of that preparation. 

Despite the uncertainty and subsequent anxiety that clients are facing, both nonprofit leaders said they’re appreciative of the giving spirit that accompanies the holidays. 

“What’s great about our community is they rise to the occasion,” Bent said. “Our neighbors understand helping neighbors is critical to everyone enjoying the holiday season.” 

Donations can be made at samaritanhousesanmateo.org and shfb.org.