https://www.siliconvalley.com/2021/08/09/catholic-charities-passed-out-17-million-meals-during-pandemic/ > As COVID-19 spread across Santa Clara County in March 2020, local charities heard the first pleas for help and developed a new food distribution system that would get 17 million free meals to the community in the first year and a half of the pandemic. > Before the pandemic, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County served an average of 40,000 people a year. But organizations including Second Harvest, Catholic Charities, and other members of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster predicted the impending hunger crisis. An estimated 153,600 jobs were lost in the county in March and April, 2020.