Community Food Connection: Powering the Fight Against Hunger

Since the pandemic, demand at Community Food Connection in Poway has grown exponentially. Today, as one of the largest satellite facilities partnering with Feeding San Diego, the organization distributes nearly 6,000 boxes of fresh food each month, food rescued from local supermarkets including Costco and Target. Each box is designed as a complete meal, packed with meats, dairy, fruits, and vegetables for anyone in need.

That volume depends entirely on reliable refrigeration. Community Food Connection runs 16 industrial refrigeration units, and before 2025, an aging, inefficient air conditioning system left them vulnerable. Units overheated and shut down, jeopardizing the organization's ability to safely accept fresh food day to day.

A $10,000 grant from the Poway Community Foundation changed that. The funding allowed Community Food Connection to purchase a new AC system, and local company Camino Air installed it at no charge, stretching the grant's impact even further.

The results have been dramatic. Since the upgrade, not a single refrigerator or freezer alarm has sounded, day or night, a complete turnaround from the year before. The hundreds of volunteers who staff the facility now work in a markedly improved environment as well.

"Thank you, PCF," said Bob Beavers, Facilty Manager. "How you helped us, and what you do for other nonprofits in our community, is amazing, powerful, and inspiring."