Each fall, the Southern Arizona Jewish community comes together to donate non-perishable food items, filling bins across local synagogues and Jewish agencies for the Project Isaiah High Holiday food drive. These contributions are then delivered to the Community Food Bank (CFB), where they are distributed throughout Southern Arizona to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. The initiative is a hands-on way for the Jewish community to practice tzedakah (charity) and fulfill the commandment of helping others. Thanks to the strength of our Jewish community, we’ve more than doubled our donations over the past two years. This year, through Project Isaiah, we aim to provide 50,000 meals to the Community Food Bank.
As the Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) staff lead and coordinator of Project Isaiah, I recently had the opportunity to visit the Community Food Bank and speak with Sarah Cohen and Lindsey Baker, both Tucson natives, who are deeply rooted in the Southern Arizona Jewish community and serve as essential members of the CFB team. Watching Sarah and Lindsey in action, I saw firsthand how their commitment to tzedakah and tikkun olam translates into their impactful work.
Lindsey began her nonprofit career serving as a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow through the Congressional Hunger Center, after completing her undergraduate education at Emory University where she was the Co-Director of Volunteer Emory. Serving as a Hunger Fellow changed her life; a 6-month policy placement at Feeding America transformed into a 10-year career at the nation’s largest nonprofit. Now, as a nonprofit consultant, Lindsey has the pleasure and privilege of staying connected to meaningful work addressing food insecurity, having consulted for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and the Congressional Hunger Center since October 2023.
Sarah is a community nutrition specialist, currently serving as the Health and Nutrition Programs Manager at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Passionate about equity and addressing social determinants of health, she focuses on empowering disadvantaged individuals with the knowledge to make long-term positive changes for themselves and their families. Sarah develops and leads health initiatives, such as the ‘Healthy Living Series,’ with a focus on some of Southern Arizona’s most pressing health issues, including heart disease and diabetes. Her work prioritizes cultural relevance and community needs, ensuring her programs are accessible and impactful for all.
Sarah expressed that “while I find attending synagogue rejuvenating at times, my connection to tzedakah and tikkun olam is rooted in my work, educating the community about what they can control regarding their health and well-being.”
Lindsey echoes this sentiment. “I was taught early on that we’re all responsible for supporting our collective community,” she explains. “Food is more than just sustenance—it’s tied to identity, culture, and love. Project Isaiah, which directly supports CFB ensures our local Food Bank has the resources they need to support clients in making healthy, empowered choices.”
At first glance, the Food Bank might seem like a place focused solely on distributing food, but its reach extends much further. CFB takes a multifaceted approach to addressing hunger by also empowering communities, providing education, and promoting local economies.
One example is CFB’s emphasis on the social determinants of health—factors like poverty, access to education, and healthcare, which play a significant role in food insecurity. Sarah is expanding initiatives to bring nutrition education programming to school pantries and family resource centers in TUSD, helping families learn how to shop for and prepare healthy meals, read and understand nutrition labels, and adopt strategies to improve their overall well-being.
CFB’s partnerships with local health organizations, such as El Rio and the University of Arizona, include pilot programs aimed at providing specialized food boxes for people with Type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, CFB works to support and grow the local economy. Their facilitation of the Santa Cruz River Farmers Market helps small, local farmers connect with consumers, offering fresh, locally sourced produce to the community. These partnerships strengthen the region’s agricultural economy while also ensuring that families in need have access to healthy, locally grown food.
As Sarah puts it: “We’re not just handing out food—we’re tackling the root causes of hunger by supporting local farmers through initiatives like the Farm to Institution program and the Santa Cruz River Farmer’s Market. Through our health and nutrition initiatives, we empower the community to take ownership of their well-being. By investing in long-term solutions such as the Caridad Culinary Training Program, which provides essential cooking skills and job training, and the Thriving Communities Grants, which fund innovative projects to enhance food access and community resilience, we promote food security, health equity, and sustainable local food systems.”
At its core, CFB is dedicated to fighting food insecurity across five counties in Southern Arizona. It serves an ever-increasing number of clients, reflecting the widespread need for food assistance in the region.
According to the USDA, “The 2023 prevalence of food insecurity was statistically significantly higher than the 12.8 percent recorded in 2022 (17.0 million households), 10.2 percent in 2021 (13.5 million households), and the 10.5 percent in 2020 (13.8 million households).” This sharp rise highlights the increasing demand for food assistance, a trend the Food Bank sees locally.
CFB partners with hundreds of agencies across Southern Arizona to distribute 500,000 boxes of food per year. Caridad Community Kitchen alone, one its seven main locations, distributed almost half a million meals last year.
In addition to daily operations, when the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Gila County experienced severe home loss and damages from the Watch Fire, CFB provided essential food and supplies to affected families. “We’re all one emergency away from needing the food bank,” Lindsey says, reminding us of how vulnerable many families are to food insecurity.
Whether through donations to Project Isaiah, volunteerism, or contributions directly to CFB, everyone can play a part in ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry.
CFB relies heavily on volunteers to help sort, pack, and distribute food, and financial donations allow them to maximize their impact by purchasing food at scale and maintaining partnerships that support their mission. As Sarah Cohen and Lindsey Baker both emphasize, “Everyone’s stronger together.” Whether it’s through direct action or simply spreading the word, every small contribution helps repair the world—one meal, one connection, and one act of kindness at a time.
For more information on how you can help, visit Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
