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As South Orange County families continue to deal with inflation and the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as generally high living costs, food insecurity may be an issue.
A food pantry in San Juan Capistrano called Capistrano Cellars is available to assist people in need.
The pantry is located at 31894 Plaza Drive, Suite 1A. Pantry hours are Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursdays from 8 a.m.-1 p.m., and Fridays by appointment.
Capistrano Cellars is offered by Second Harvest of Orange County and ACCESS San Juan, an alternative education program under the Orange County Department of Education. The pantry is stocked with fresh food and canned goods.
April Armijo, an OCDE community resource specialist for Title 1 schools, said the struggles some families face became evident during the pandemic. While the ACCESS site was established in San Juan years ago, the food pantry specifically began in May 2022 after ACCESS administrators reached out to Second Harvest when they realized the depth of need in South Orange County.
The ACCESS site is also an alternative education school, though the pantry is through a garage at the site and differentiated from the school so as not to disrupt classes.
Though people do not have to provide identification when visiting the pantry, they do have to fill out a form when picking up food and supplies. The OCDE requires the forms, because they have to submit records for everyone who comes in.
“We’ve never requested IDs,” Armijo said. “We knew who these families were.”
Program Specialist Wendy Rogan said the goal with Capistrano Cellars is to reduce or outright eliminate barriers students face with educational success.
“If food insecurity is a barrier, we can help eliminate that need,” Rogan said.
Along with food, other essential items the ACCESS site provides includes clothing, school supplies, and hygiene products.
OCDE spokesperson Ian Hannigan said the ACCESS program is a “lifeline” for students and that there have been “amazing” success stories of students who have turned their lives around after receiving help.
The ACCESS San Juan site also offers resources for adults, including parenting classes and help for victims of domestic violence. It is one of four ACCESS sites in Orange County.
Visit ocde.us/ACCESS to contact program administrators.
