North County families facing rising food costs just got a more permanent safety net in Vista. The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank has opened a long-planned North County hub inside a 60,000-square-foot warehouse the organization bought for nearly $13 million. By shifting from leasing to owning, leaders expect to free up roughly $400,000 a year that they say will go straight back into buying food and expanding programs. The Vista site, which held a soft opening in November, includes a client-choice pantry that works like a small grocery store and is being framed as a long-term promise to North County communities struggling with food insecurity.
"Our mortgage cost versus lease costs is going to save us about $400,000 annually," Michael Minjares told 10News. Minjares, the food bank's director of grants management, said those savings "can be directed to purchasing more food or just program-related efforts." According to the station, the organization closed on the Vista building in May as it moved from a leased location to permanent ownership.
According to San Diego Food Bank, the Vista warehouse adds about 7,000 square feet of refrigeration, an on-site diaper bank and a partner resource center that connects families with housing and health services. The North County pages list the new address as 2260 Oak Ridge Way in Vista and say owning the building "expands our ability to serve families more efficiently." Since 2015 the organization says its North County distribution has grown from roughly 550,000 pounds to more than 9.2 million pounds of food each year.
Why ownership matters for hunger relief
Food bank officials argue that stable facilities mean steadier service. Owning the Vista site trims overhead and lets the organization plan further into the future on programs and partnerships. Casey Castillo, the organization's CEO, told 10News that the permanent location tells the community the food bank is going to be here for generations. Leaders say the added capacity should help them bring in and store more fresh food and deepen support for partner agencies throughout North County.
How to get help or volunteer
The client-choice pantry at the Vista hub operates by appointment and offers fresh produce, meats, dairy and essential non-food items with no documentation required, according to San Diego Food Bank. Volunteers and donors can find drop-off times and sign up for shifts through the organization's North County information, and the site lists both the Vista warehouse at 2260 Oak Ridge Way and the Miramar warehouse at 9850 Distribution Avenue for donations. Appointments, hours and directions are available on the San Diego Food Bank's website.
