San Leandro Human Services Commission Meeting - August 18, 2026

The San Leandro Human Services Commission met on Monday, August 18, 2026, at 7:01 PM. The meeting included a presentation from the San Leandro Community Food Pantry, an annual data report on the Community Assistance Program (CAP) grant, approval of previous meeting minutes, cancellation of November and December meetings, and commission reports.

Consent Calendar

• The commission unanimously approved the minutes from the July 2026 meeting. Motion by Commissioner Roby, seconded by Commissioner Lum.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made, and no e-comments were received.

Presentation: San Leandro Community Food Pantry

• Jesse Cutter, representative of the San Leandro Community Food Pantry, presented an overview of the organization. The pantry is a volunteer-run nonprofit located at Bancroft and 142nd Avenue, serving anyone in Alameda County (and not turning away others). Founded in 2012 by Bethel Community Presbyterian Church, it became a 501(c)(3) in 2017. Key statistics:
  • Volunteers: January to June 2025: 107 volunteers filled 828 shifts, totaling about 2,090 hours.
  • Food Rescue: In 2021, the pantry saved about 150,000 pounds of food from landfill; in 2024, that number rose to about 405,000 pounds.
  • Distribution: Every Thursday, 6–8 PM, with an average of 346 people served per week in 2025 (up from ~200 pre-pandemic).
  • Partnership: Collaborates with SPCA East Bay to distribute pet food; from January to June 2025, 3,246 bags of pet food were distributed.
• Commissioners asked about the grant funding the pantry received from the city and the challenges of sourcing dairy and staple items. The pantry noted that the Community Food Services Grant (one-time funding for 2025-2026) helped purchase flexible staples and dairy. They discussed the difficulty of repackaging bulk food due to health regulations and welcomed donations of fresh produce and clean bags.
• Jesse Cutter expressed support for a new gleaning program being explored by a group called Forrester, which would connect residents with extra fruit to the pantry.

Discussion Items: Community Assistance Program (CAP) Annual Data Report

• Staff member Elsa presented the annual data report for the CAP grant cycle that ended June 30, 2026. Five agencies were funded in the previous cycle. Key data:
  • Total San Leandro residents served: 1,037.
  • Age distribution: 63% adults ages 18–49, 30% children, 7% seniors (50+).
  • Gender distribution: 71.6% female, 19% male, 9.4% other or not reported. This represented a shift from 82% female in the prior year.
  • Income distribution: 68% extremely low income, ~6% very low income, 24% low income, 1% moderately low income.
  • Racial/ethnic data was provided but not read aloud.
• The report concluded that the program successfully targets San Leandro's most vulnerable low-income households, with an effective cost of $154 per person served.
• Commissioners discussed the low senior participation and expressed hope that newly funded agencies (including Wheels on Wheels) would increase that number. The report will be produced annually.

Key Outcomes

• Canceled Meetings: The commission voted to cancel the November and December 2026 meetings due to the holidays and lack of pressing business. Motion to cancel was approved unanimously.
• Commission Reports: Commissioner Roby reported a successful backpack giveaway event at San Leandro High School, distributing 1,700 backpacks on-site and 300 more to local schools. The event included 20 county agencies and cost nearly $30,000. Commissioner Lum announced a Moon Festival event on Saturday at the main library (10:30 AM–12:30 PM).
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:53 PM.