Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Measure K: Second Amendment to the Agreement with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a second amendment to the agreement with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, extending the term through June 30, 2027, and increasing the amount of the agreement by $2,000,000, for a new not-to-exceed amount of $6,000,000.
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BACKGROUND:
Second Harvest of Silicon Valley (“Second Harvest”) is a nonprofit organization serving 500,000 residents monthly through a robust distribution network to ensure reliable access to healthy food. The organization’s mission is to end hunger in our community.
Through the County’s FY 2024-25 Measure K Notice of Funding Opportunity process, this Board authorized an agreement with Second Harvest in the amount of $2,000,000 to provide food assistance services to low-income residents of San Mateo County, for the term July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 (the “Agreement”).
This Board subsequently authorized an amendment to the Agreement to allocate an additional $2,000,000 for Second Harvest to continue providing food assistance services, for a new not-to-exceed amount of $4,000,000, extending the term of the Agreement through June 30, 2026.
On March 17, 2026, this Board approved the Measure K funding allocations for FY 2026-27, which included an additional $2,000,000 for Second Harvest to continue providing food assistance services to low-income residents of San Mateo County. Accordingly, this proposed second amendment to the Agreement would extend the term of the Agreement through June 30, 2027 and increase the not-to-exceed amount to $6,000,000.
DISCUSSION:
The demand for food assistance in San Mateo County remains critically high. Second Harvest is experiencing a significant reduction in government support due to the cancellation of key United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and subsets of the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which historically accounted for 10 percent of total distributed food. Furthermore, effective June 1, 2026, enhanced work requirements and stricter administrative reporting for CalFresh recipients under federal law H.R. 1 are expected to deter qualified applicants and reduce the number of people accessing those benefits.
Second Harvest has outperformed projections, distributing approximately 23,000,000 pounds of food in the first three quarters of FY 2025-26, exceeding targets by 3,000,000 pounds. Currently, the organization serves roughly 114,000 San Mateo County residents monthly through a network of 269 distribution sites within the County.
Beyond its core food distribution initiatives, Second Harvest is exploring pathways to support volunteerism as a way for CalFresh recipients to meet their work requirements. Simultaneously, the organization continues to conduct ongoing outreach across San Mateo County, enhancing awareness of available food programs. Second Harvest’s Food Connection teams have continued to see elevated phone traffic, averaging about 150 calls per day.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the resolution and second amendment as to form.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
Target |
|
Distribute 20,000,000 pounds of food in San Mateo County annually |
100% Complete |
|
Operate 100 food distribution sites in San Mateo County quarterly |
100% Complete |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Food insecurity remains a critical issue in our community, with many individuals with low-incomes relying on food distribution programs as a primary source of nutrition. As demand rises and federal support declines, local organizations struggle to keep up financially. Funding these programs is essential to protect public health, reduce hardship, and ensure that everyone has access to the basic necessity of food.
FISCAL IMPACT:
$2,000,000 in Measure K funding for this second amendment to the Agreement will be included in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget.