Sonoma Raceway Food Drive Nets More than 9,000 Pounds for Area Food Banks

Sonoma Raceway distributed more than 9,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH) and the San Francisco and Marin Food Banks on Monday following the raceway’s 12th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. 

In total, the raceway distributed 9,249 pounds of food, bringing the 12-year total to more than 46,700 pounds of non-perishable food items delivered to area food banks.

“This has become our holiday season,” said Sherman Bielfeldt, FISH volunteer. “There are people out there who are hungry, so it has become our mission to find food for them. This is a great help heading into the holiday season.”

FISH (www.friendsinsonomahelping.org) has been helping Sonoma Valley residents in need since 1970 and provides not only food, but clothing, transportation and emergency rental assistance.

The mission of the San Francisco and Marin Food Banks (www.sffoodbank.org) is to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin counties. The food bank serves more than 225,000 people each year throughout the two counties, and will distribute more than 45 million pounds of food to the community this year alone.

“The donation of more than 5,000 pounds of food is enough for 4,700 meals throughout Marin and San Francisco counties,” said Tiffany Han, food and fund drives manager at San Francisco and Marin Food Banks.  “This food will help us feed the one in four residents in San Francisco and Marin who are at risk of hunger.”

Sonoma Raceway was not alone in its efforts. It was joined in the food drive by Destination RKA in Windsor; Innerstave; the National Auto Sport Association; Pedroncelli Motorsports; the Simraceway Performance Driving Center; Sonoma and Glen Ellen markets; and support from Sonoma Raceway’s STP Wednesday Night Drags and Sonoma Drift powered by NOS programs. Sonoma Gourmet also made a generous donation of gourmet food items.

Sonoma Raceway PR