Redwood City church food bank facing $5,000 per month rental increase

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - A Redwood City church and food bank says it could soon be without a space after receiving notice that its rent will increase by $5,000 when the lease expires next month. Verbo Redwood City serves thousands in the community each week through its food bank.  

Every night from 6 p.m. to midnight, people come to Verbo church in Redwood City to watch and play indoor soccer. The soccer space is also the church’s sanctuary on Sundays.  

"With a lot of the kids, instead of being on the streets, they’re over here playing. This goes on every night, indoor soccer," said Pastor Orlando Cardona. 

For the last 25 years, Verbo has helped struggling families in the North Fair Oaks neighborhood of Redwood City through its programs that include a food bank, youth activities and ESL classes. Verbo has been in the same space on Bay Road for 17 years. Now the Pastor says its programs may end because the rent is going up 25% when the lease is up at the end of October, which is an additional $5,000.

"We are putting food on their tables. They’re walking over here to be able to get their food and by us moving somewhere else, it’s going to be hard. There are already two more food distribution programs that have already closed in the Fair Oaks community and there are a lot of other programs that aren’t here any more because of increasing rents," said Cardona. 

By partnering with 2nd Harvest of Silicon Valley, Cardona says about 1,700 people receive food weekly through Verbo, lining up their cars on Bay Road twice a week. People also talked about the impact Verbo’s service to the community has had on their lives.

"We were basically looking for a place to live, and we came to VERBO and received help. Their different programs helped us, and now we have an apartment. I live with my husband and my two kids, and now I’m helping at VERBO," said Esmeralda Vazquez, of North Fair Oaks. 

"I guess before I was in a really bad space. Not making the best decisions. I started coming to church more often. I joined the youth group with my cousins and friends and my surroundings have been changing," said  17-year-old Yony Lopez, of Redwood City. 

Cardona says they’re applying for grants and other programs, but there are not a lot of funds available for a church program like this. I also reached out to the landlord but didn’t hear back in time for this report. If you’d like to donate, click here.