Hawk Fire: How the Food Bank is Supporting Our Community

Last updated: August 27, 2026 at 4:16 PM

(Photo Credit: Hawk Fire Facebook Page)

The Hawk Fire has affected thousands of our neighbors, and we know the immediate emergency is only the beginning.

Food Bank of Northern Nevada is part of Washoe County’s coordinated emergency response effort, working closely with the Red Cross, local emergency response agencies, community partners, and other hunger-relief organizations to understand where food assistance is needed most and how we can safely provide it.

We are here, we are preparing, and we are committed to supporting our community through the immediate response and the recovery ahead.

RESOURCES FOR those impacted

Monday, August 31 | Special Fire Recovery Distribution

• Stead Airport, 4-6 PM (4895 Texas Ave): The distribution will be a drive through offering and neighbors will receive a mix of perishable and non-perishable foods.  Those attending do not need to pre-register.

THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS

We’re incredibly grateful to the volunteers who responded so quickly to an urgent request for volunteer support today.

These volunteers are packing Snack Packs that will be distributed throughout the community to people affected by the fire.

The response from our volunteer community is a reminder of what makes northern Nevada so special. When neighbors need help, people step forward.

As additional needs emerge, we’ll share opportunities for volunteers to support Food Bank of Northern Nevada or other community organizations involved in the response and recovery effort.

SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY POWER OUTAGES AND ROAD CLOSURES

We know many residents are currently facing challenges beyond evacuation orders.

Some neighborhoods remain without power. Others have limited access to grocery stores because of outages, road closures, or emergency restrictions. We also know that some residents are effectively unable to leave their neighborhoods at this time.

Food Bank of Northern Nevada is actively working with emergency management partners to understand whether there are safe and effective ways to provide food assistance in these circumstances.

Any response must balance the urgency of community need with the safety of residents, emergency personnel, and volunteers, as well as the need to keep evacuation areas and emergency routes clear.

As we identify safe, appropriate ways to provide assistance, we’ll share updates here.

PREPARING FOR RECOVERY

While immediate response efforts continue, we know that significant food needs will emerge long after evacuation orders are lifted.

Many families may return home to find that food in their refrigerators and freezers has been lost due to prolonged power outages. For some households, this comes just weeks after dealing with food loss and disruption caused by the Bug and Stallion fires.

We are preparing now for that next phase.

We are in communication with our network of partner food pantries and hunger-relief organizations throughout the affected area to understand what support they may need as they return to their communities and resume operations.

We’re also exploring additional options, including special food distributions and other ways to get food directly to people who need it as recovery begins.

Please keep an eye on this page and our social media accounts for more details as they become available.

HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP

The generosity of this community is already making a difference.

Food Bank of Northern Nevada is purchasing significant quantities of food now so that we can respond quickly when and where assistance is needed. Having food on hand means we can move faster as needs become clearer and help ensure resources are available when our communities are ready for them.

Many people have asked how they can help. If you’re deciding how to make a difference right now, a financial contribution will have the greatest immediate impact.

Financial donations allow us to purchase the food that’s needed, in the quantities needed, at the time it’s needed. They also give us the flexibility to respond quickly as community needs change and get resources where they’ll do the most good.

If you’d like to help us prepare to respond now and throughout the recovery ahead, your financial support can help make that response possible.

Interested in donating food?

We know many people would also like to contribute food, and we truly appreciate that generosity.

Our community partners at AHA Connects are collecting food donations on behalf of Food Bank of Northern Nevada.

Beginning Tuesday, August 25, food donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday, 9am–5pm at:

AHA Connects
199 E Moana Ln
Reno, NV 89502

If you’re donating food, please make sure it is non-perishable and unopened, and check expiration dates before donating. Please do not donate refrigerated or frozen items.

Thank you to AHA Connects for helping make it possible for community members to turn their generosity into tangible support for neighbors affected by the fire.

We are grateful for every form of support, but if you’re choosing between donating food and making a financial gift, we encourage you to consider a financial contribution at this time.

WE’RE HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL

The immediate emergency may last days. Recovery will take much longer.

We know that families, individuals, businesses, and community organizations will continue facing challenges long after the fire is no longer making headlines.

Food Bank of Northern Nevada is preparing now to meet the need, not only during the immediate response, but for as long as our community needs support in the weeks and months ahead.

We’re here. We’re ready. And we’ll be here for the recovery ahead.

We’ll continue updating this page as new information, resources, volunteer opportunities, and food assistance options become available.