Grey Bears

Come join us for Seniors Night Out: Art Night next Wednesday, June 26th, from 3-5 PM. There will be paints, textiles, colored pencils, markers, and collage material. We will have an art volunteer to help support everyone in creating their own masterpieces for their home, family, and friends! We hope to see you there!

Happy Solstice Grey Bear Brown Bag Members!

Food tastes better when you eat it with your friends. Leslie, Virginia, Addie, and Meikam are pictured here with a great variety of organic produced that was shared in the Brown Bags this week:

🥕Organic Carrots
🥗Organic Red Leaf Lettuce
🥔Organic Potatoes
🌱Organic Fennel
🍽Organic Yellow & Red Onions
🥬Organic Iceberg Lettuce
🌿 Organic Artichoke

Keep in mind, organic produce in the Brown Bags will vary.

Here's to sunny days, delicious meals, and the friends who make every moment brighter!

Are you getting started on your summer reading list? The Grey Bears Bookstore is an amazing resource. Nestled next to the Grey Bears Electronics store, the Grey Bears Bookstore is home to thousands of books in over 20 categories. There is truly something for everyone! All summer long, fill a brown bag of books for only $12.

Shopping at Grey Bears isn’t just friendly for your wallet; it also nourishes your community. Proceeds support the Grey Bears Healthy Food Program, which works to provide over 4,000 senior households each week with fresh produce. Grey Bears also partners with other hard-working nonprofits to supply thousands of books throughout the county.

We just want to thank all our volunteers for everything they do at Grey Bears! We sincerely appreciate having you all here with us on our journey to make the world a better place, as none of this would be possible without you. We are beyond grateful to be surrounded by so many amazing people who care about one another and our mission to serve. Please take some time to reflect on the impact you’re having on the lives of others, and remember that the level of impact depends on how well we work together out of love!

Bagging up goodness with Grey Bears volunteers and Quaker Service Camp! Last Friday, our dedicated team packed these beautiful Brown Bags filled with organic veggies.

Here is what is organic inside:

🥕 Crunchy Carrots
🌿 Fragrant Fennel
🍓 Sweet Strawberries
🥬 Crisp Red Leaf Lettuce
🥬 Smooth Butter Lettuce
🥦 Unique Romanesco
🍋 Zesty Lemons
🥬 Fresh Green Leaf Lettuce

Keep in mind that each brown bag will vary depending on the produce available.

A huge shoutout to our volunteers for their hard work and heart! Let's enjoy nature's bounty and the spirit of community!

This is just a final reminder that we are hosting our next Repair Cafe tomorrow, June 15th, in the Grey Bears warehouse from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will have volunteers who work on electronics, sewing, stitching, and mechanical items (like clocks, lamps, chairs, etc.). Bring your items by, and we’ll see if we can fix them together!

Feel free to stop by our clothing store at any time between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. You can get any item for 50% off every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Or you can enjoy our $13 bag deal every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, where you can get a bag full of untagged clothes for just $13!

By shopping with us, you also support our partnerships with other non-profit organizations, where we provide clothes and other critical items to those in need. Thank you for supporting Grey Bears!

What’s known as the Tiny House on campus is the hub for the Healthy Food Program. They process all new applicants, assign them to routes, follow through with renewing, reassign routes when people move to a new address, and more. They are also happy to accept any monetary donations from our community and are the main point of contact for any questions coming into Grey Bears. Additionally, they coordinate about 90 drivers who deliver the food across the county to 4,000 members each week.

Thank you so much for everything you do for Grey Bears and everyone in the community! We are blessed to have you all here with us! Words can’t describe the impact this team makes on a daily basis.

We are hosting our next Repair Cafe on Saturday, June 15th, in the Grey Bears warehouse from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will have professionals who work on electronics, sewing, stitching, and mechanical items (like kid’s toys, clocks, lamps, chairs, etc.). Bring your items by, and we’ll see if we can fix them together!

The next 2nd Saturday Sale is tomorrow!

🌿🍏 Boost Your Health with Greens! 🍏🌿

Inside the Brown Bags on Thursday and Friday featured lots of organic goodies: Red Butter Leaf Lettuce, Rainbow Chard, Romaine Lettuce, Kale, Celery, Spinach, Broccoli, Strawberries, and Carrots.

Enjoy summertime in Santa Cruz by using your greens in smoothies to beat the heat and add a burst of health to your day!

Incorporating leafy greens into your smoothies is a game-changer. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that your body will love. Plus, they blend so seamlessly with fruits that you’ll hardly notice them—just delicious, nutrient-rich goodness in every sip!

Here’s why you should go green:

✅ Improved Digestion: Greens are high in fiber, aiding digestion and keeping you feeling full longer.

✅ Enhanced Immunity: Leafy greens are rich in vitamins C and E, boosting your immune system.

✅ Natural Energy Boost: Get a natural energy lift from the nutrient-packed power of greens.

🥬 Green Smoothie Recipe:

1 cup spinach or kale
1 banana
1 cup frozen mango or pineapple
1 cup almond milk or your favorite milk

Blend it all together and enjoy a vibrant, refreshing smoothie that fuels your body and delights your taste buds!

New Leaf Markets donates to charities from their Envirotokens program each year, and they are currently looking for non-profits to fund in the Santa Cruz County area. Grey Bears has been selected as a potential candidate to become an Envirotokens recipient to receive funding from their organization.

The community will decide who becomes a recipient through an online voting process that is open from now until June 18th.

Please consider voting for Grey Bears, as this program helps us develop our mission and improve the impact we have on the community on a monthly basis!

How to vote:

1. Scan the QR Code in any New Leaf location or visit newleaf.com/vote.

2. Select your store that you’d like to vote for (note that Santa Cruz County orgs will be available on all SC County store ballots, and you can vote for multiple stores. Our Half Moon Bay & Silver Creek Community Market locations have their own ballots with orgs in their communities).

3. Vote for up to 5 organizations on the ballot.

4. Enter your email address and zip code (used for information only) and submit!

Just another friendly reminder that we are hosting our next Repair Cafe on Saturday, June 15th, in the Grey Bears warehouse from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be a professional who concentrates on sewing and stitching clothing items!

Stay tuned for more information to come!

We hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far and would like to announce that our thrift store is having a 50% off sale on all our products this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

We truly appreciate all your support in helping us continue our mission to improve the quality of life for our seniors and community!

Just a friendly reminder that we are hosting our next Repair Cafe on Saturday, June 15, in the Grey Bears warehouse from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be professionals who may be able to fix your electronics!

Stay tuned for more information to come!

Celebrate Organic Produce with Grey Bears Brown Bags! 🥬🍓

Summer is here, and we're excited to share the bountiful harvest of fresh, organic produce that you can find in your Grey Bear's Brown Bags. Here's what you can look forward to:

Rainbow Chard - Eat the rainbow! These are perfect for adding to your favorite stir-fry!

Strawberries - Enjoy them fresh, in a smoothie, or as a delightful dessert topping. Have you made chocolate-covered strawberries yet?!

Iceberg Lettuce - The base of every great salad!

Potatoes - Perfect for a summer potato salad recipe.

Carrots - Great for snacking, roasting, or adding to your favorite dishes.

Romanesco - This stunning vegetable is not only beautiful but also rich in vitamins and minerals. It’s perfect for roasting or adding to a veggie medley.

Spinach - Tender and nutrient-packed, spinach is perfect for salads, smoothies, or sautéing as a side dish.

Endives - With their slightly bitter taste, endives are great for adding a crunchy texture to salads or for serving as a healthy dipper.

Fennel - With a mild anise flavor, fennel can be enjoyed raw in salads, roasted, or used to add a unique flavor to soups and stews.

Red Leaf Lettuce - This vibrant lettuce adds a pop of color and a crisp, refreshing texture to your salads and sandwiches.

Thank you for being a part of the Grey Bear's community and for making healthy, sustainable choices.

Eat well. Live well. Love Grey Bears ✨

If you’re 55 and up, you can sign up for the Healthy Food Program, where you get a bag of produce weekly for $45 a year!

Take a look at the amazing work our volunteers do every Thursday and Friday to get the weekly produce out to all 4,000 of our participants!

This is just a friendly reminder that we are planning to have a Game Night where you can come and play a variety of your favorite board games amongst one another tomorrow, May 29th, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Grey Bears warehouse. You can bring your favorite games if you would like, but we will be providing them for the most part!

See you tomorrow!

We are hosting our next Repair Cafe on Saturday, June 15, in the Grey Bears warehouse from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stay tuned for more information to come!

Hello!🌿🥦

Grey Bears is thrilled to share with you the organic produce that you may have found yesterday or today in your Brown Bags: radishes, tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, endives, parsley, spinach, onions, beets, romaine lettuce, and broccoli.

While the contents of each bag will vary, keep in mind that every bag is packed by volunteers who celebrate the bounty of nature and the power of community.

Are you 55+ and interested in receiving a weekly Brown Bag? Visit (https://greybears.org/online-membership-form/) to learn more about our Brown Bag program. Let's grow healthy together! 🌱✨

We would like to give a huge thank you to the Kitchen Team! We know we don’t have everyone in these photos, but we really appreciate the amazing things you all do for Santa Cruz County! They feed our community with delicious, nutritious meals Monday through Friday. You can see the love and passion they have for others in the food they prepare. You’ll always see them serving it with a smile!

Feel free to join us for lunch from 11:20 a.m. to 12:25 p.m., Monday through Friday!

We are planning to have a Game Night where you can come and play a variety of your favorite board games amongst one another on Wednesday, May 29th, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Grey Bears warehouse. You can bring your favorite games if you would like, but we will be providing them for the most part!

We hope to see you soon!

🍎🌽🥦It's Grey Bears Brown Bag Day! 🥦🍓🥕
If you received a Brown Bag yesterday or today, here are some delectable examples of the organic produce that can be found inside.

Featured here are yummy examples of the organic produce that was packed: Strawberries, dill, broccoli, tomatoes, celery, beets, onions, lettuce, zucchini, radishes, baby greens & spinach. Please note that the contents of each Grey Bears Bag will vary.

This colorful bounty has all the fixings for a great salad. Tell us, what are your favorite salad dressings? 🥗

We are having our 2nd Saturday Sale tomorrow, May 11th! All items in every store will be 50% off this Saturday from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. Feel free to stop by to see what Grey Bears has for you and your loved ones for Mother’s Day! We truly appreciate all your support in helping our seniors thrive by shopping at Grey Bears!

Grey Bear Brown Bags are here! 🥦🥕

Why did the people dance to the vegetable band? Because it had a good beet! 🎶

Did you get a good beet in your bag today?

Inside, there are a variety of organic vegetables, including bok choy, beets, celery, cauliflower, fennel, and onions.

Due to the limited availability of each produce item, the contents of each Grey Bear Brown Bag may differ. Today's bags have all the right fixings for a borscht recipe!

Vegetarian Borscht Recipe:

Borscht almost always features beets and typically has meat in it, but this vegetarian version is light, hearty, and far greater than the sum of its parts.

https://www.seriouseats.com/dinner-tonight-vegetarian-borscht-recipe

It’s that time of the week again!
Grey Bear Brown Bags are here!

Here is some Organic Produce that might have made an appearance in your Grey Bears Thursday Brown Bags:

Organic Radishes bring a peppery zing to meals.

Organic Artichokes make a welcomed appearance, especially since we live so close to the Artichoke Capital of the World: Castroville, CA.

Organic Cucumbers are a cool snack to eat on hot days.

Organic Onions are a great staple in the kitchen.

Organic Butter lettuce has tender, soft leaves with a delicately sweet flavor, which makes them stand out from the other varieties.

We hope you enjoy your weekly produce bags, but keep in mind the contents of each Grey Bear Brown Bag may vary.

Grey Bears is the recipient of the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. It addresses food insecurities in Santa Cruz, and you can support it by leaving a non-perishable food donation in a bag by your mail box for a mail carrier to pick up this Saturday, May 11th, or you can go to your local post office in Scotts Valley, Downtown Santa Cruz, Capitola, and Aptos to donate until next Monday, May 13th.

Thank you so much!

We are still having our monthly 2nd Saturday Sale on May 11th! All items in every store will be 50% off this Saturday from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. Feel free to stop by to see what Grey Bears has for you and your loved ones for Mother’s Day! We truly appreciate all your support in helping our seniors thrive by shopping at Grey Bears!

This is just a friendly reminder that Grey Bears will be having a surprise sale tomorrow, May 4th!

All items in hardware and housewares will be 50% off. You can also buy one bag of untagged clothing for $13 and get an additional bag for free from the clothing store. Lastly, all tagged clothing, clothing accessories, and shoes are 50% off.

Hopefully this will help with your shopping for Mother’s Day!

Please ask the volunteers at the cash register if you have any questions.
�See you tomorrow!

TGIF! Friday's Grey Bear brown bag included delicious organic vegetables! 2 cucumbers, kale, spring onions, a beet, and an artichoke!

How do you eat your artichokes? Steamed, boiled, grilled, roasted or sauteed? Share your favorite artichoke recipes here! 🍴🥗