The SaddleBrooke Community Outreach (SBCO) annual Food Drive will this year gather donations of food and money to support the Tri-Community Food Bank (TCFB) based in Mammoth. TCFB serves needy families living in Mammoth, San Manuel, Oracle and the Dudleyville/Aravaipa area. Donations from SaddleBrooke and SaddleBrooke Ranch helped to provide bi-monthly emergency food boxes to 530 households (1,565 people) during 2022. The Food Bank served 477 children and 340 seniors in the past year. On a monthly basis, TCFB serves about 400 households (1,190 people). The rising cost of gasoline, food and utilities over the past year have created an even greater financial burden for these families.

This year, SBCO will be collecting monetary contributions online or with checks from Monday, March 6 through the Saturday, March 18. Online donations can be made at the SBCO website at community-outreach.org.

Checks, made payable to SaddleBrooke Community Outreach, can be delivered to Food Drive Unit Captains or mailed/hand delivered to the SBCO office at 63675 E. SaddleBrooke Blvd, Suite L., Tucson, AZ 85739 (in the SaddleBrooke business complex). Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All monetary donations go directly to grocery purchases and related expenses. SBCO and TCFB are both all-volunteer organizations and are IRS 501c3 and AZ non-profit charitable organizations, so donations made to these organizations are tax deductible.

On Saturday, March 18, food donations need to be placed at the curb for pick up by 8 a.m. These donations will be taken to the MountainView Clubhouse parking lot for sorting, boxing and delivery to TCFB.

If you live in SaddleBrooke and would like to volunteer for the Food Drive, please email Andrea Stephens at andrea.stephens@community-outreach.org. SaddleBrooke Ranch residents should email Betty Ryan at betty@community-outreach.org.

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