HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank offers lifeline to Sunnyslope community
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
“It has been the only way we have been able to afford groceries these past 13 months,” said Shana, a client at the HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank, in the afternoon hours of Friday, Nov. 22.
The Desert Mission Food Bank, now part of the HonorHealth network, is experiencing a 40% increase to families served in the Sunnyslope area of Phoenix.
“I will say it has been increasing,” Anne Costa, Desert Mission Food Bank community resource manager, told the Digital Free Press last Friday. “Over the last six months we are serving about 300 households per day. Most people don’t come every single month, as this tends to be a situational thing — just this month we are seeing about 40% more families today, than we did during the same time last year.”
Ms. Costa reports the Desert Mission Food Bank is seeing nearly double of the amount of families today compared to calendar year 2022.
“In October alone, we served 5,800 households,” she said. “Fortunately, we are able to fill those needs but we are feeling the pinch on our end. We have to purchase food as well and we all know how much more expensive everything has gotten.”
The HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank is at 9229 N. Fourth St. and has been serving the Sunnyslope community for nearly 100 years.
“We started in the 1920s due to a need of tuberculosis — that is how Desert Mission was born, through organized grassroots efforts trying to meet community needs,” Ms. Costa said. “We can not only meet the health needs of the community, but we can also reach those who need the services of a food bank. The food bank is really meeting that emergency need though dignity, but also acknowledging food plays a role in chronic disease.”
The HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank offers the following services:
- Emergency food assistance program
- Senior food box program
- Infant emergency food box program
- Snack pack program with local schools
- Nutrition education
HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank offers lifeline to Sunnyslope community
Since 2023 just over 74,000 people have been served at the HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank.
“My husband and I moved here in the last part of November last year. He has been doing gig work,” Shana, a client at the Desert Mission Food, said of her experience there.
“It keeps the lights on and keeps a roof over our head but not much else. When you are broke this is something you really come to depend on.”
The HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank is seeking donations this holiday season as officials there tell the Digital Free Press community donations sought ought to be heart-healthy foods that are low in sodium and fat, though have the greatest need for the following:
- Pasta
- Cereal
- Canned veggies (low sodium encouraged)
- Juice (100% juice encouraged)
- Chicken and tuna in water
- Canned beans
- Dry beans
- Peanut butter
- Bottled water
For Shanna, she says the experience she has at Desert Mission is very positive.
“It has saved us, I just don’t know what we would be doing if we didn’t have it,” she said. “The girls that are there are very nice … It really doesn’t take that long at all.”
Ms. Costa reveals a passion for community service as she is now celebrating here 12th year of employment at Desert Mission whereas she began doing food demonstrations at the food bank.
“Maybe not everyone is comfortable with egg plant,” she said of how food demonstrations are now available in the digital space. “What we do is we really try to provide access to how to grow your own food, a food literacy program … we are trying to empower people to be comfortable with egg plant. I have a real passion for food and I try to help people to find lover for food as well.”
