SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Fresh produce and essential grocery items will be available at no cost Thursday as the Food Bank of El Dorado County and its community partners continue a summer food distribution program serving residents of South Lake Tahoe.
The third Free Summer Farmers Market of the 2026 season is scheduled for 10 to 11 a.m. Aug. 13 at the St. Theresa Catholic Church parking lot, 1041 Lyons Ave. The event is organized by the Food Bank of El Dorado County and the Marcella Foundation, with additional volunteer support from St. Theresa’s Bread & Broth and the Family Resource Center.
The drive-through distribution will provide fresh produce and nonperishable food items to participating households.
The program’s remaining scheduled distributions are Sept. 10 and Oct. 8, also from 10 to 11 a.m. at the St. Theresa parking lot.
According to information released by the Food Bank, an average of 100 families received fresh vegetables, fruit and essential grocery items during each of the first two months of this year’s program.
The 2026 series originally included five monthly distributions beginning June 11, followed by July 9, Aug. 13, Sept. 10 and Oct. 8. Volunteers from participating local organizations help pack and distribute food to residents during the one-hour events.
A countywide food-access network
The South Lake Tahoe farmers market is part of the Food Bank of El Dorado County’s broader effort to reach residents across a geographically diverse county.
El Dorado County’s rural geography — stretching from the western foothills to the Sierra Nevada and South Lake Tahoe — creates unique challenges for food distribution. The Food Bank has developed an Emergency Food Assistance Network involving partner agencies throughout the county, including South Lake Tahoe, to help bring food assistance closer to the communities where people live.
The county’s current Community Resource Guide also identifies the Food Bank’s South Lake Tahoe operations at St. Theresa’s and lists its summer farmers market program as a source of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The California Department of Social Services lists the Food Bank of El Dorado County as the county’s designated food bank, with its primary facility in Cameron Park.
Local partnerships make the program possible
The South Lake Tahoe distribution relies on cooperation among nonprofit organizations, volunteers and community partners.
In announcing the 2026 program, Bread & Broth volunteer Food Coordinator Roberta Strachan emphasized the importance of the partnership.
“These Free Farmers Markets allow our South Lake Tahoe residents in need to have access to fresh, locally grown, and nutritious foods.”
The 2026 program represents an expansion over last year’s three-market series. In 2025, the Food Bank partnered with St. Theresa’s Bread & Broth for free drive-through distributions in August, September and October. That program also included volunteers from the Family Resource Center, while funding support from the Marcella Foundation and Bread & Broth helped sustain the distributions.
The Food Bank reported that nearly 500 families received fresh vegetables, fruit and nonperishable food during the 2025 summer farmers markets, underscoring the continuing demand for the program in the South Lake Tahoe community.
When and where
What: Free Summer Farmers Market
When: Thursday, Aug. 13, 10-11 a.m.
Where: St. Theresa Catholic Church parking lot, 1041 Lyons Ave., South Lake Tahoe
What is available: Fresh produce and nonperishable food items
Cost: Free
Remaining 2026 dates: Sept. 10 and Oct. 8
For residents seeking food assistance or additional information about Food Bank services, the Food Bank of El Dorado County can be reached at 530-621-9950.
With approximately 100 families benefiting during each of the first two 2026 distributions, Thursday’s market is expected to provide another important food-access point for South Lake Tahoe residents as summer continues.
Sources: Food Bank of El Dorado County; South Tahoe Now; El Dorado County Community Resource Guide; California Department of Social Services.
