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A food bank in Livermore recently garnered its largest donation of food and supplies since its opening — one that the founder called "timely and incredible".
One Nation Dream Makers was happy to accept a semi-truck filled to the brim with food items and other necessary supplies on the evening of Jan. 31, according to founder Ronnie Forbes. The organization counted 24 pallets containing various canned goods, dry and nonperishable items. The donated goods came out to an estimated 40,000 pounds of food.
In a statement released by the group, Forbes expressed excitement and gratitude for the donation, calling it an extremely timely delivery.
"This is awesome," he said. "We thank God for providing a timely delivery of incredible food to increase our ability to do more for more of our community troops that are in big time need."
Forbes, a U.S. Army veteran, founded One Nation Dream Makers in 2017. He has been candid about his struggles with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), incarceration and addiction following his discharge from the service.
After personally experiencing food insecurity and financial hardship throughout his life, he felt a strong desire to give back to his community. He has said his drive for charity work comes from his Christian faith and belief system.
The main mission of the group is to work with vulnerable populations in Alameda County with the goal of combating hunger and food insecurity.
Forbes spoke to this news organization about the semi-truck donation and his reflections on the work One Nation Dream Makers has done.
"When we found out that we were going to be getting a whole truckload, it was so exciting," he said. "We always ask God to give us the opportunity to do more for more people and now the green light has come for us to be able to do more."
Forbes explained that the group continues to see a rise in food insecurity.
"We've already increased our distribution throughout the course of this last year. Donations like this allow us to be able to help the increasing population of food insecure individuals," he added. "A lot of people that would have never ended up in the food bank line will end up in a food bank line."
In addition to running the food bank operation out of an old Livermore fire station, he opened up the Livermore Warming Center this year. The organization is also currently planning new programs that will expand their outreach into Contra Costa County.
One Nation Dream Makers now focuses its efforts on food rescue, sorting and re-boxing and then delivering the supplies to low-income and in-need residents or unhoused communities. The organization works with other food banks in the area, such as Tri-Valley Haven in Livermore and St. Raymond Catholic Church in Dublin.
The delivery came as a part of a surplus program from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Humanitarian Surplus Food Donation. Overflow from the church's own farm and food production systems are given to charitable organizations across the country when they are available.
"When there are surplus commodities in these warehouses, the food is donated to assist with disasters, such as fires and floods in California, and to food banks to assist the needy in other communities," church representative Ken Mano said.
A total of three semi-trucks full of food were donated from warehouses in Salt Lake City; the remaining two were delivered to food banks in Santa Rosa and Monterey counties.
"It would not be possible to make this kind of donation locally without organizations like Ronnie, who can accept, store, sort and process this food into smaller boxes which he delivers to the homeless and needy in our local communities," Mano continued. "Ronnie can always use volunteers at his location in Livermore to help sort, process and box the food."
"I don't care what race you are, I don't care what gender you are as long as you are looking to change your life and you need a hand up — I and our staff are here to help find a need and fill it," Forbes said. "We're feeding them, we're loving them, we're showing them how they can turn their lives around. We're giving them counsel."
To find more information about One Nation Dream Makers, visit Onenationdreammakers.org.
