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Tri-Valley Haven’s new food pantry in Livermore is officially open and serving individuals and families from Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin.
While the pantry opened to the public initially on Feb. 22, the organization hosted a special grand opening event on March 17, which was attended by several local officials including Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert, Livermore Vice Mayor Gina Bonanno and Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez.
According to Tri-Valley Haven associate director Christine Dillman, there were about 50 people in total at the grand opening which included a behind the scenes view of the space and a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The organization was also presented with a congratulatory certificate from the city of Livermore and a certificate of commendation from Haubert during the event.
Along with moving to a new space, Tri-Valley Haven is also offering food pantry guests a new experience.
The pantry — located at 150 North L St. — is utilizing a “client choice” model, which aims to empower food pantry clients to pick food that is appropriate for their family’s dietary needs, according to a statement from Tri-Valley Haven.
“We wanted people to come in and feel like it’s like a grocery store or a farmers’ market and pick what they need for their families,” Dillman told Livermore Vine, adding that the model makes for an even more dignified experience. She also said this method cuts down on food waste because clients are choosing their own food instead of being given items they may not be able to eat due to their dietary restrictions.
In addition to groceries, the pantry also offers baby products, hygiene supplies and household items, among other products.
Every month, the Haven provides free groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables to well over 4,000 Tri-Valley residents and they’ve seen a stark increase in need due to a rise in unemployment and high-priced rents — both exacerbated by the pandemic, according to the nonprofit’s statement.
Dillman said since opening the new pantry, they’ve seen about three to five new families everyday in addition to their regular guests, which she noted is a testament to the pantry’s centralized location.
One of the key factors in selecting a location for the pantry was making sure it was accessible via multiple bus routes so that Dublin and Pleasanton residents could travel there easily, according to Dillman.
“I think that some people don’t realize how many Pleasanton residents we really do serve and that was one of the things that we really wanted to focus on when we found a new site,” Dillman said, adding that, ideally, the organization would love to have individual sites in Pleasanton, Dublin and Livermore.
Although its doors are open, Dillman said there are still a number of improvements on the horizon for the pantry.
Some of the plans that are still in the works include the installation of double doors to more efficiently bring in pallets of food, a walk-in freezer to store more items, an industrial sink that Dillman said the Livermore Rotary has offered to assist with and some refrigerators with clear, glass doors so that clients can see exactly what they want. Dillman said that one of the refrigerators has already been donated by the Pleasanton North Rotary.
“We did what we needed to do to open but there are still financial needs and it’s still a work in progress,” she said.
The new food pantry hours are Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-5 p.m.; Wednesdays from 1-7 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays from 12-4 p.m. More information is available at trivalleyhaven.org.
