New Rancho Cordova ‘food hub’ to open this summer. How it’s unique in the region
A new way to support families experiencing food insecurity is coming to Rancho Cordova this summer.
The Rancho Cordova Community Food Hub is set to open in mid-July, said Executive Director Carrie Johnson at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday. And it’s unlike any other center in the region.
The food hub is set up like a grocery store, allowing families to shop for foods including fresh produce, pantry staples, dairy, protein and kid-friendly items at no cost.
“What if food assistance could feel different?” Johnson said. “What if receiving help did not have to feel transactional or rushed? What if families facing food insecurity could shop for groceries just like you and I?”
Johnson said the hub is a “fundamentally different model for food access” built around choice, hospitality and support. She said that this is one of two centers in the nation using this model, the other being located in Nashville, Tennessee.
“It was born out of the idea that people deserve a better experience,” Johnson said.
Traditionally, food banks have long lines to give people pre-packaged boxes of food that may go to waste, particularly in families with children who like to eat certain things, Johnson said.
Food banks also typically do not have “culturally appropriate” food for the people in their region, she said. With Rancho Cordova’s large immigrant population, Johnson said the food hub will stock food from cultures represented in the city.
The 6,600-square-foot hub is located at 2771 Don Juan Drive, near Folsom Boulevard. It’s been in the works since 2022, Johnson said. After the organization received a $2.5 million grant in 2024 with the help of former Assemblymember Ken Cooley, the site was purchased and construction began in June 2025.
The city’s existing food pantry is located at 10600 Coloma Road in the Cordova Neighborhood Church and has grown exponentially in the last few years. It serves 1,500 families a week, up from 300 families a week in 2022, Johnson said. It is staffed by 300 volunteers which is an increase from just 25 in 2022.
Shelly Blanchard, chair of the hub’s board and executive director of the Cordova Community Council, thanked the volunteers at the ribbon cutting, as well as other partners that helped make the hub a reality.
“You have built more than a food hub,” Blanchard said. “You have built a place where people will feel seen, welcomed and cared for.”
The food hub is supported by the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services partner agency network program, according to Johnson, and operates as a nonprofit under the Catholic Charities of Sacramento, according to Blanchard.
Rancho Cordova Mayor Garrett Gatewood said that “good partnerships” between the city and organizations that support the community are vital to the success of residents. He said the space is an example of Rancho Cordova working to support its residents.
“This place was built to feel inviting, accessible, with a space where families can walk in, choose their food that fits their needs, and feel well-supported by the community, and that matters,” Gatewood said.
Blanchard said Rancho Cordova is sending a “powerful message” by constructing the food hub.
“It’s a place where hunger is met with compassion, where need is met with dignity and where community becomes action,” Blanchard said.
