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Feed 301 families each week at Bread & Beans Kitchen in San Jose

Help keep a free food pantry open for families facing hunger in San Jose.

🇺🇸 California, United States2,598 views
Mackenzie S. Lewis
Email verified
San Jose
Since 2019, our volunteer team has run Bread & Beans Kitchen every Wednesday from the back of the old library basement. We started with 8 families, and now we feed 301 each week. Donations have dropped by about 43% this summer, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 7 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the San Jose market and keep every receipt. Each $60 feeds a family of four for a week. I'll post the weekly shopping receipts and a photo of the shelves each Sunday. Where the $4,050 goes: • Rice, beans, flour and oil (wholesale): $1,800 • Fresh vegetables and fruit: $1,600 • Baby formula and diapers: $360 • Refrigeration and electricity: $290 With deep gratitude, Mackenzie

Updates from Mackenzie

No updates yet. Supporters are notified when the owner posts one.

  • Priscila Bianca Bezerra 🇧🇷 · $1,000

    “Happy to help. Only $1,000 but hope it helps. - São Paulo”

  • Joy Nneka Ogunbanjo 🇳🇬 · $250

    “Hope it all works out. Hope this covers a bit of it. - Kano”

  • Monika Monika König 🇩🇪 · $250
  • Vida Mabel Acheampong 🇬🇭 · $200

    “Wish I could do more. Hope you get the rest soon. - Tarkwa”

  • Rutuja G. Gokhale 🇮🇳 · $100
  • Raphaël Anthony Duval 🇫🇷 · $100
  • Declan Hopkins 🇺🇸 · $100
  • Anonymous 🇧🇩 · $100
  • Zubair Naveed Hussain 🇵🇰 · $100
  • Skylar Whitfield 🇺🇸 · $100
  • Anonymous 🇮🇳 · $100
  • Sara Hala Haddad 🇲🇦 · $75

    “You got this. Been where you're, it gets better. - Casablanca”

  • Yui Shibata 🇯🇵 · $75
  • Rajesh Bijay Chhetri 🇳🇵 · $70

    “You got this. From Bhaktapur with love. - Bhaktapur”

  • Santiago C. Ávila 🇺🇸 · $67.50
  • Anonymous 🇮🇹 · $52

    “Hope it all works out. Shared with friends too. - Brescia”

  • Annabelle Rodriguez 🇬🇧 · $50
  • Sosina Konjit Getu 🇪🇹 · $50
  • Kevin Hahn 🇩🇪 · $50
  • Camila P. Valdez 🇦🇷 · $50

    “Get well soon. Thought of Mackenzie all day after reading this. - Córdoba”

Reviews

2.8(5 reviews)

Only people who gave to this need, or whose offer to help was accepted, can review it.

  • Cristiane Viviane Moreira🇧🇷Verified donor
    Restored my faith in humanity

    This is what community support looks like. They didn't just offer generic advice; they provided personalized help tailored to my specific situation.

  • Tomás E. Mora🇲🇽Verified helper
    Really cared about my situation

    This helper is honest and transparent about what they can do. They didn't overpromise, but they did deliver excellent results. I would definitely trust them again.

  • Héctor W. Peña🇺🇸Verified helper
    Quick response, great follow-up

    This experience has restored my faith in the goodness of people. The helper was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely cared about my outcome.

  • Noah W. Fuller🇬🇧Verified helper
    Went above and beyond

    I was struggling and didn't know where to turn. This person stepped in without hesitation and provided exactly what I needed. Their compassion and expertise made all the difference in my life.

  • Filip Blomqvist🇸🇪Verified helper
    Honest and trustworthy

    Perfect example of someone making a real difference. They took time out of their busy schedule to help me and never made me feel like a burden.

Questions & comments

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  • Rubina Maliha BhuiyanPhoto verified

    Hope it all works out, Mackenzie. Great idea, hope you get there. Sent it to 9 people at work. God bless.

    • Thinking of you, Mackenzie. It takes guts to ask. Well done. This is the second need I've supported on here and the first that made me cry. All the best

      • Babar Irfan QaziPhoto verified

        Hang in there, Mackenzie. Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. My daughter saw me on my phone and now she wants to give her pocket money. God bless

        • Thinking of you and your family, Mackenzie. I hope things turn around soon. Blessings.

          • Hope things get better soon. Reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. My daughter saw me on my phone and now she wants to give her pocket money. Thinking of San Jose.

            $4,231.50 raised of $4,050

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