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Help Ai keep the Bread & Beans Kitchen pantry stocked

Help keep a free food pantry open for families and seniors in San Jose.

🇺🇸 United States3,528 views
Ai Meng Li
Email verified
San Jose
Since 2019, our volunteer team has run Bread & Beans Kitchen every Monday from the back of the mosque courtyard. We started with 10 families, and now we feed 112 each week. Donations have dropped by about 31% this rainy season, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 6 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the San Jose market and keep every receipt. Each $50 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 $3,200 goes: • Rice, beans, flour and oil (wholesale): $2,100 • Fresh vegetables and fruit: $550 • Baby formula and diapers: $550 Thanks for reading all this. - Ai
#food-pantry#hunger#volunteer-led#food

Updates from Ai

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Donations

RecentTop gifts
  • Kevin Okello Simiyu 🇰🇪 · $10
  • Alexander N. Weber 🇺🇸 · $5
  • Yu Feng Shi 🇨🇦 · $10

    “Happy to help. Only $10 but hope it helps. - Québec”

  • Tatiane Bruna Teixeira 🇧🇷 · $50

    “Keep your head up. Thought of Ai all day after reading this. - Rio de Janeiro”

  • Maya W. Morgan 🇺🇸 · $25
  • Alejandro E. Navarro 🇲🇽 · $10
  • Auma Mwanaisha Nabwire 🇰🇪 · $30
  • Ishita Bisht 🇮🇳 · $25
  • Gita Kirana Halim 🇮🇩 · $25
  • Herman R. Rivera 🇵🇭 · $5
  • Óscar L. Ochoa 🇺🇸 · $30

    “Thought of Ai all day after reading this. - Nashville”

  • Girish F. Karandikar 🇮🇳 · $250
  • Harper Green 🇺🇸 · $10
  • Wesley Ross 🇺🇸 · $20
  • Fatima Kehinde Nwankwo 🇳🇬 · $25

    “Wishing you the best. Thought of Ai all day after reading this.”

  • Citra Sihombing 🇮🇩 · $25
  • Armando J. Acosta 🇺🇸 · $250
  • Henry Seyi Kalu 🇳🇬 · $10
  • Silvia T. Rangel 🇪🇸 · $20

    “Thought of Ai all day after reading this. - Alcalá de Henares”

  • Kirill Vasyl Borisov 🇷🇺 · $30

    “Sending love. My sister told me about this one. - Saint Petersburg”

Reviews

3.0(4 reviews)

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

  • Julian F. Phillips🇺🇸Verified donor
    Professional and kind

    I was nervous about reaching out, but this person made me feel comfortable and supported from the very first interaction. Their help was invaluable.

  • Alexander A. Brooks🇳🇿Verified helper
    Patient and understanding

    The help I received was exactly what was described and more. This person follows through on their commitments and genuinely cares about making a positive impact.

  • Huda Ines Rahman🇪🇬Verified helper
    Would recommend to anyone

    Couldn't have asked for better support. They listened carefully, understood my situation deeply, and provided thoughtful advice that actually worked. Thank you so much.

  • Nonso Abubakar Eze🇳🇬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.

Questions & comments

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  • Nathalie PoirierQuestion

    is there a list of costs somewhere? Just curious how it adds up for Ai.

    • Ai Meng LiOwnerAnswer

      The list at the bottom is the whole picture. rice, beans, flour and oil (wholesale) is the biggest at $2,100. Appreciate you taking the time.

  • Soledad L. Orozco

    Hope it all works out, Ai. Hope this works out for you. Take care.

    • Duha Huda Nassar

      Hang in there. Hope this works out for you. Sent it to 8 people at work. All the best.

      • Hussein Qasim Haddad

        Reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. I'm in farming myself and wanted you to know we're cheering for you. Thinking of San Jose.

        $4,099.50 raised of $3,200

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