'No Longer Sustainable': A Hayward Food Pantry Is Closing After More Than 50 Years

HAYWARD, CA — A food pantry in Hayward that serves hundreds of families in the Bay Area each week is closing after it was no longer deemed sustainable, officials said.

The South Hayward Parish food pantry served community members for more than 50 years. In 2019, when the property was at risk of being sold, First Presbyterian partnered with the Presbytery of San Francisco to preserve the site as a community resource, according to the church.

First Presbyterian leased the property and continued operating the pantry under the South Hayward Parish name.

Its last day will be Friday, Hayward city officials said.

The church said the growth of other community programs, such as an Emergency Shelter and Day Resource Center for people experiencing homelessness, left little room to operate the food pantry.

"The growth of our services over these past 7 years has pushed the limits of this property and our financial resources," the church said. "We have worked and prayed to discern how to best steward our resources and live our mission to meet community needs, and it has become clear that operating both a food pantry and shelter on the same campus is no longer sustainable."

The church is now working to connect pantry users to nearby food distribution programs.

First Presbyterian plans to continue operating the campus as a 24-hour emergency shelter and expand the services available there after the pantry closes.

The shelter will remain limited to 25 people because of space restrictions, but the church said it plans to strengthen programs intended to connect guests with housing more quickly.

The change is also expected to reduce activity and traffic around the property and allow the facility to remain in use while plans for a long-term redevelopment are developed, according to the church.

The church provided 11 Alameda County Community Food Bank partner distribution sites within five miles of the pantry. They can be found on the church's website.

"We are hopeful more community organizations might step in to ensure food is available for those who need it most," Rev. Hallie Hottle and Jason Shaw, Outreach Director at First Pres, said in a letter announcing the closure.

Chris Vinasco of Bay City News contributed to this report.