They cover our county acting as the virtual spokes in Second Harvest Food Bank’s hub and wheel food distribution system, providing approximately 75,000 people healthy meals each month to fight food-insecurity.
The trucks they drive are mobile billboards for a nearly 50-year-old nonprofit.
Second Harvest Food Bank drivers (from left): Jorge Gasca, Kevin Mendez, Miguel Hernandez (in truck), Agustin Tarelo, Alex Jimenez, and Misael Robledo. Not pictured: David Garcia and Peter Vasquez.
People wave to Second Harvest drivers. Our communities recognize the food bank as feeding hope by helping people get through rough times.
Drivers hit the road daily. They stage the pallets of food to fit the truck, the day’s sales orders and stops they’ll make on their route. Starting from Second Harvest in Watsonville, they follow their route sheets to 50 food pantries from Ben Lomond to Davenport, Santa Cruz to Corralitos and everywhere in between.
Transport team members unload and help distribute food at partner locations, regularly meeting the people they’re serving and experiencing our community’s love for their essential work.
They also visit neighboring counties’ food banks to deliver or acquire supplies. Drivers fan out across the county and beyond to pick up food bank donations from Lakeside Organics, Big Lots, Orowheat and Mastronardi Produce among others.
Behind the food bank’s drivers are others at Second Harvest managing the logistics and finances of continuous supply and the essential warehouse team, sorting and staging loaded cargo pallets for daily food deliveries.
Pandemic Challenges Overcome
While the truck-driver shortage nationally has been widely reported, that problem is primarily in the long-haul sector, where drivers are away from home for many days at a time. Second Harvest drivers are home every night after work.
Second Harvest Food Bank driver Alex Jimenez delivering food pallets to People’s Pantry at Twin Lakes Church in Aptos.
During the early stages of the pandemic, Second Harvest was greatly challenged to maintain vastly increased food distribution from averaging 55,000 meals per month, to a pandemic peak of approximately 105,000 people being served.
The fairground and boardwalk distributions were greatly supported by National Guard members from all over California. As reported, it was an impressive and essential effort that helped thousands in need.
A driver shortage, the loss of essential volunteer workers due to Covid restrictions, combined with a 100 percent increase in food demand, meant 12-hour work days, explains Kevin Mendez, logistics manager at Second Harvest.
Mendez started at the food bank earlier this year from a similar position with a for-profit produce supplier. The driver shortage now corrected, is presently a seven-member team, typically working a 40-hour week with only occasional overtime, Mendez adds.
What The Drivers Say
The expanded Second Harvest driver team includes: David Garcia, Jorge Gasca, Miguel Hernandez, Alex Jimenez, Misael Robledo, Agustin Tarelo and Peter Vasquez Jr.
“Working here is gratifying because you’re helping people and treated well,” says Miguel Hernandez, a 14-year veteran food bank employee.
“This is a large team effort,” adds Peter Vasquez, who joined Second Harvest seven months ago. “The drivers and warehouse crew make it all happen, not just the drivers. People wave to us. It feels good. This is a good job for a young person starting out. Good benefits and time off. And the community knows us.”
“Of all the jobs I’ve had, this is the most satisfying,” Alex Jimenez acknowledges. “We work as a team and independently (while on the road) and I’ve become self-motivated to do my best when you see and meet people, knowing they will have food.”
Another recent team addition, Jorge Gasca, puts it this way. “Every time we visit a food distribution partner’s site, people tell us how they value the food they’re receiving. It’s a good workplace environment. Very different from a for-profit company.”