FY 23-24 Program Report

Agency Name: Grey Bears Program Name: Healthy Food Program Equity Dimension: Age

Condition: Thriving Families Tier: Medium Budget: $122,457.60

Annual Goal FY 23-24	Annual Goal FY 23-24
Unduplicated Participants     Total Unduplicated Participants 650 643	How Many Activities/Services Will Be Provided?     400,000 pounds of food delivered 400000 389031 5,000 meals served 5000 7327 6 volunteer opportunities provided. 6 6
Annual Goal FY 23-24 Age     0-5 0% 0% 6-18 0% 0% 19-59 8% 7% 60+ 92% 93% Unknown 0% 0%	Annual Goal FY 23-24 Language     English 81% 92% Spanish 19% 7% Other 0% 1% Unknown 0% 0%
Ethnicity     African American 1% 1% Asian 3% 4% Latino 24% 10% Multi-racial 2% 2% Native American/Alaskan 1% 2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1% 1% White 68% 78% Other 0% 1% Unknown 0% 1%	Gender     Female 65% 71% Male 35% 29% Transgender- Female 0% 0% Transgender- Male 0% 0% Other 0% 0% Unknown 0% 0% Nonbinary 0% 0%
Location     Capitola 7% 8% Santa Cruz 18% 35% Scotts Valley 5% 5% Watsonville 19% 15% Unincorporated Mid-County (e.g., Live Oak, Soquel, Aptos ) 25% 22% Unincorporated North County (e.g. , Davenport )  2% 1% Unincorporated San Lorenzo Valley (e.g., Ben Lomond ) 8% 11% Unincorporated South County (e.g., Freedom ) 16% 3% Unknown 0% 0% Out of County 0% 0%

Annual Goal FY 23-24   Annual Goal FY 23-24 How Well Did We Provide Service?     How many participants did you survey? 650 643 80% of program participants will report being either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with program services as measured by a one-question participant survey that will be completed by June 30th of each FY.   80% 83%

Annual Goal FY 23-24   Annual Goal FY 23-24 Is Anyone Better Off?     80% of participants will have improved physical health, and economic stability by saving money on food costs as measured by a survey at six months from enrollment.  80% 73% 70% of volunteers will report improved social connections as measured by a program developed survey completed by June 30 of each year. 70% 75%

Additional CORE Questions  (The maximum length is limited to 1200 characters in the below boxes)
1. Briefly describe any progress and/or successes your CORE program achieved implementing its activities during FY 2023-2024. (Recommended 2-4 sentences)	In the Fiscal year of 2023-2024, Grey Bears diverted 1,929,120 pounds of food from the landfill. Because of this, Grey Bears served the most hot meals than in its history, providing 58,622 meals. This field is required
2. (Optional, Success Stories) Please share a short story about the experience of a participant or family that received services funded through this contract during FY 2023-2024. Please state the specific activity that was provided and the impact or positive change that occurred as a result of the service(s) provided. *Please make sure to change any identifying information, such as names.*	For many seniors, Grey Bears is not just a place for physical nourishment; it is a place to find purpose and connect with senior peers. Four years ago, Doris, a long-time participant, faced the life altering loss of her husband, her life companion of 46 years. "Life stopped when he died," she recalled. His passing left a void in everyday routines, including in the kitchen where the joy of sharing a meal with someone faded. Doris, despite facing physical challenges, approached Grey Bears with an earnest question—was there any way she could contribute, and regain a sense of purpose? Though unable to lift many bags, she offered something even more valuable: her truck. Now, in her“silver food delivery truck,”Doris has become a familiar face to others in need, a weekly presence that speaks volumes about her commitment to supporting seniors like herself. Volunteering at Grey Bears became more than just a role for Doris; it became an engaging activity she eagerly anticipated. Amid her grief journey, Doris discovered a renewed sense of well-being and purpose through her invaluable contributions.
3. Please describe any challenges your agency experienced in implementing its CORE funded program.	In this past fiscal year, Grey Bears witnessed a 72% decrease in donated produce from usual sources, impacting the pounds of food provided through the Healthy Food Bag Program. This required Grey Bears to purchase additional fruits and vegetables to support the Grey Bears Healthy Food bag distribution. To help alleviate this, Grey Bears has been working to develop additional partnerships with food generators throughout the county to increase our food rescue program, particularly for fresh produce, to support the Healthy Food Bag deliveries. This field is required
4.Have you encountered challenges in collecting CORE program or participant data?	Yes No This field is required
5. If you answered yes, what challenges did you experience? (Recommended 2-4 sentences)	One challenge we encountered was working with participants who do not utilize email for receiving communications. This was a challenge to our survey model, which mainly utilizes digital solutions for collecting data. This has caused us to evaluate alternative methods for collecting surveys, including utilizing paper surveys delivered with bags, as well as training trusted staff and volunteers who have developed rapport with participants to call and verbally administer surveys. This lesson will impact future survey models we will utilize in the future.
6. What technical assistance can HSD or the CORE Institute provide to support your data collection activities?	N/A This field is required
7. During FY 2023-2024, did your CORE program staff participate in a CORE Institute event (e.g., Coffee Chats or Conversations)?	Yes No This field is required
8. During FY 2023-2024, how did your CORE program engage its staff on issues of equity?	As part of Grey Bears' commitment to equity and its core value of diversity, Grey Bears required mandatory training regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion for all staff. This field is required
9. In the CORE RFP, your program indicated an equity issue your program would address. How has your program impacted this equity issue in FY 2023-2024?	Grey Bears has continued to support seniors in every stage through healthy food bag deliveries, on-site food distribution, and hot meals. One inequity seniors face is a risk of food insecurity, proliferated through fixed incomes, which can be greatly impacted by inflation and increases to cost of living. 83% of survey participants reported increased access to fresh produce and pantry staples due to the Grey Bears Healthy Food Program. 29% of Grey Bears Healthy Food Bags were delivered to homebound seniors, eliminating the barrier of transportation so they can have equitable access to fresh, nutrient dense food. This field is required