What We Do
A weekly grocery bag filled with fresh produce and healthy staples
Grey Bears distributes these Healthy Food Bags at various locations throughout Santa Cruz County, conveniently near your home or workplace, 48 weeks a year. Home deliveries are only available for seniors who are disabled and aged 50 or older.
Sustainability
Programs
Recycling
Every bottle, can, and newspaper counts. Grey Bears’ Recycling Center diverts millions of pounds from the landfill each year, turning waste into resources that sustain our programs and our planet.
Repair
Don’t toss it — fix it! Our Repair Café events empower the community to extend the life of beloved items, reduce waste, and learn valuable skills alongside talented volunteer fixers.
Compost
Transforming food scraps into nourishment for the earth. Our compost program closes the loop by reusing organic waste to create healthy soil — helping gardens and communities thrive while diverting food waste from the landfill.
Thrift Store
Shop with purpose. The Award- Winning Grey Bears Thrift Store offers gently used treasures at affordable prices, while supporting our mission to nourish seniors and protect the environment. Every purchase gives back.
Support Grey Bears
Your generosity fuels our mission. By donating, volunteering, or becoming a sponsor, you help deliver healthy food, build community, and promote sustainability for thousands of seniors. Join us in making a difference.
At Grey Bears, we know the power of food and sustainability. 🌎
We know that healthy meals make healthy seniors. That’s why we’ve been rescuing food that would otherwise end up in landfills and turning it into delicious meals while fueling our grocery market to ensure seniors in our community have access to pantry staples, fresh groceries, and a daily hot meal. 💛☀️
Swipe to see how our food rescue model works! ♻️
Support our Grocery Rescue program today and further your gift by donating at santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/greybears! 💚
Staff Spotlight! 🤩
We are thrilled to announce that Kayla has graduated from Focus Agriculture! 🌎🌱
Farms and agriculture are the foundation of our food systems, and we’re incredibly proud that another one of our staff members has completed this one-of-a-kind, enriching experience. 💛🐻
This program offers a deep understanding of our agricultural community and helps cultivate the ability to lead with an environmentally conscious mindset and skill set.
Congratulations Kayla! 💐
Together, we can ensure local seniors across Santa Cruz County receive the healthy food and support they deserve. 🐻💛
When you give to Grey Bears through Santa Cruz Gives, your donation goes even further.
Join us in reaching our goal and nourishing our seniors this holiday season, now through December 31, 2025. ❄️⛄️
Donate today at santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/greybears!
Grey Bears is a truly unique place.
The people, their stories, and the work our volunteers do all shape this one-of-a-kind community hub that so many in Santa Cruz call their “third space.” It’s a place to share a meal, meet a friend, and make a meaningful impact close to home.💛
Last month, Lily Belli from Lookout Santa Cruz visited our warehouse, spent time with some of our Bears, and beautifully captured the essence of Grey Bears—our mission, the folks we serve, and the volunteers who make our lunch program and grocery market possible.
Click the link in our bio and read this article today!
We all need inspiration! 🖼️🎨
Do you have a knitting or crochet project you started and just can’t complete? Don’t have a project but would like to start something new? 🧵👨🎨
Grey Bears is going to be hosting five coffee, cake and crafting sessions where you can come down to the Grey Bears board room starting today from 1pm-3pm, work on your craft and build community with local bears. Let’s turn “I’ll start this later” into “Look what I made!”. 🐻💚
Grey Bears Donation, Recycling, and E-Waste will be closed on 11/15/25 for our Holiday Meal Drive-Thru Event. Swipe to see photos of our incredible volunteers preparing these delicious holiday meals for our local seniors! 💛
This year, we increased our meal count from 1,000 to 1,300 because we know how important this free holiday meal is to our senior community and we’re thrilled to share that every single meal has been reserved. 🍽️🍗🍝
We can’t wait to welcome our seniors tomorrow as they drive through to pick up their meals, each one made with so much love by our dedicated volunteers. 💌
A huge thank-you to every volunteer who helped us prepare this amazing meal throughout the week. We are deeply grateful for your time, care, and generosity. 🐻❤️
In the spirit of sustainability, come on down to Grey Bears this Saturday the 18th from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. to give new life to your pre-loved item! ♻️💚
Our amazing team of volunteer fix-it coaches will do their best to keep your treasures out of landfills and in your home. #SustainableSolutions
Nutrition serves as the cornerstone of our organization. Did you know that in the past year alone, we served 63,000 meals to seniors and community members?
We were so happy to welcome Lily Belli from Lookout Santa Cruz to our Chanticleer warehouse to experience a Grey Bears lunch firsthand. 🥗🍗
Click the link in our bio to experience our hot meals program through her eyes! 💛
Social Connection
Community is at the heart of healthy aging. Grey Bears creates spaces for seniors to connect, learn, and celebrate — from shared meals and educational workshops to vibrant volunteer opportunities. Everyone belongs here.