Grass Valley, CA (Jan. 5, 2021): United Way of Nevada County announced that Food Access Saturday, a free grocery program held the 2nd Saturday of the month, will continue through March 2022. Food Access Saturday is open to all Nevada County residents and distributes free food outside of normal food pantry distribution schedules in the Grass Valley area. Food Access Saturday eliminates service barriers like income requirements and verification documents which offers a way for anyone to benefit from the cost savings associated with free groceries. In response to the rise in demand for food and water caused by the recent winter storm, United Way of Nevada County will supplement Food Access Saturday distribution on 1/8/22 with emergency meal kits and bottled water to those in need.  

“Due to the power outages and other major issues caused by the winter storm, I’ve received an increase in calls from members of the public asking for water, food, transportation, etc. We have been able to direct those in need to 211 and other community partners. Thankfully, through our existing partnerships with IFM and the Food Bank, we will be able to help as many people as possible this Saturday at FAS [Food Access Saturday],” says Jennifer Cordova, Executive Director of United Way of Nevada County.  

Features and benefits of Food Access Saturday: 

  • Open to everyone in Nevada County regardless of household size or income 
  • Fresh vegetables and other produce, dairy, protein, pantry staples and more 
  • COVID-19-conscious drive-through distribution 

Food Access Saturday will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2022, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at 440 Henderson Drive Grass Valley, CA 95945. Additional dates: 2/12/22 & 3/12/22. For more information on Food Access Saturday, visit www.uwnc.org or call 530-274-8111. Food Access Saturday is a partnership between United Way Nevada County and Interfaith Food Ministry, emergency meal kits and bottled water for 1/8/22 have been provided by the Food Bank of Nevada County. 

About United Way of Nevada County: United Way of Nevada County, a locally funded non-profit organization, directs community resources to those in need by identifying service gaps, coordinating community efforts, and establishing programs through collaborative partnerships. Since 2017, Food Access Saturday has served over 5,000 people and distributed 11,500+ bags of groceries to Nevada County residents in the Grass Valley area.