Giving Mondays are back at the California State Fair. Here’s how to get in for free
Fairgoers can receive a free ticket to the State Fair by donating five non-perishable items to the Elk Grove Food Bank on Mondays.
Donations can be made between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on either July 15 or July 22 at the food bank’s booth by the Blue Gate on the Cal Expo fairgrounds.
The free tickets, covered by Sacramento Municipal Utility District, must be used the same day of the donation and made prior to 3 p.m, said Sofia Gutierrez, a public information specialist for SMUD.
The first 3,000 people in the gates will also receive a free drawstring backpack, according to the news release. No donation is needed for a drawstring bag.
Last year, fairgoers donated 20,000 pounds of food.
The Elk Grove Food Bank, 9888 Kent St., is in need of a variety of items, said Executive Director Marie Jachino. That includes canned meat, peanut butter, Ensure meal replacement, canned fruits, canned veggies and soup.
Seniors are the most vulnerable and fastest-growing community experiencing food insecurity, so protein-packed items are extremely important, said Jachino.
With grocery prices on the rise, Jachino said “the need is much greater, even more than during COVID.”
The food bank currently serves hundreds of families on average daily, and around 12,000 people a month, said Jachino.
The history behind Giving Mondays
Giving Mondays started in 2018 and took a brief pause during the pandemic.
“We’ve been able to donate more than 95,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to the Elk Grove Food Bank,” said Gutierrez.
Not only do Giving Mondays allow SMUD a chance to be out in the community, Gutierrez said, it provides families who can’t afford to go to the fair an opportunity to attend by donating food.
“By donating the much-needed non-perishable food items, members of our community are also helping some of the most vulnerable in our region,” she said.
The Elk Grove Food Bank depends heavily on volunteers to pull off this effort. They require 12 volunteers per three-hour shift, so around 80 volunteers each of the two days they put this on, said Jachino.
In return, volunteers get free tickets and parking passes.
“Food donations are critical all-year round,” she said. “Hunger never goes away, it’s 365 days a year.”
Jachino said donations are more frequent during the holiday season so “this is crucial for us for the summer months.”
“It’s been a great partnership … it’s a team effort on our part and theirs,” Jachino said.
