More Local Fish on Local Plates - A New Partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank
Wednesday, January 24th, 2024 was a special day for the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust (MBFT), as it marked the first distribution of donated seafood with our new partner, Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB). As the Fisheries Trust’s sixth food relief partner, SHFB will expand the impact of the Community Seafood Program (CSP) to provide healthy, sustainably harvested seafood to those in need of food assistance, along with economic support to our local fishermen, food workers, and seafood businesses.
Founded in 1972, SHFB was the first food bank in California, and is the second oldest in the nation, now feeding over 65,000 people in Santa Cruz County monthly through a vast network of partner agencies and distribution sites. The MBFT’s CSP offers timely support for SHFB’s new Land & Sea initiative, which aims to increase the amount of locally sourced, sustainable produce and proteins offered to their recipients. Options that are both healthier for the consumer and the communities they serve.
“This initiative is not just about providing food; it's a commitment to nurturing our community, cultivating equity, and sowing the seeds of positive change. By working hand-in-hand with local farmers and fisheries, we're filling stomachs and fostering a resilient and sustainable future for all. Together, we're distributing food and cultivating change."
— Erica Padilla-Chavez, CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County
As part of the CSP, this means that Monterey Bay fishermen also have additional outlets for their catch amid challenging times, and access to new audiences.
In 2023, the CSP provided enough fish for 15,000 seafood meals for food relief partners including Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula, Al & Friends, Food Bank of Monterey County, Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes, and The Big Share in Big Sur.
The goal for 2024: at least 20,000 meals across Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. The partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank will be a big part of that effort.
Want to help us reach our goal? There is a delicious way that you can help put more local seafood on the plates of those who need it most. The Get Hooked Dinner Series partners with local chefs and restaurants who are working hard to source locally, and put Monterey Bay seafood front and center.
Various Chefs around Monterey Bay host these ticketed dinners about once a month. The events spotlight local seafood, a representative of the local fleet, and the efforts of the Community Seafood Program, with a portion of the ticket sales going directly towards the purchase of seafood. The product is then donated to the six food relief partners while enabling attendees to enjoy a delicious meal and learn more about the resources and passions that tie us all together as a community.
The 2024 Get Hooked Lineup is stacked with some amazing restaurants and opportunities, and each event will be as varied as the location and chef who is hosting it. Starting with Chez Noir this week, a newer restaurant in Carmel that has been earning some high praise with a Michelin Star and a James Beard nomination, the series kicks off with serious style. Through the rest of the year, there will be events at wineries, hotels, and some of the smaller more intimate restaurants that we love so much, all along the common thread of being committed to sourcing local seafood.
Check out our current 2024 lineup of Get Hooked Events!
Feb 7: Chez Noir (sold out)
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Mar 7: Colectivo Felix at Madson Wines*
Santa Cruz
April 10: Folktale Winery
Carmel Valley
May 5: Maligne
Seaside
June (date TBD): Salt Wood Kitchen & Oysterette
Marina
Sept 12: Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn
Big Sur
Oct 10: Wild Fish
Pacific Grove
Nov 7: Monterey Beach Hotel
Monterey