REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 20, 2026
FROM
JANKI PATEL, Acting Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Non-financial Memorandum of Understanding with Bienestar is Wellbeing for Food Distribution Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve non-financial Memorandum of Understanding with Bienestar is Wellbeing, including non-standard terms, for the in-kind donation of food, valued at approximately $192,075, for bi-weekly food distribution services at County Federally Qualified Health Centers, from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2029.
2. Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors, Chief Executive Officer, or the Director of the Department of Public Health to execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Health to transmit all non-substantive amendments to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Janki Patel, Acting Director, 387-9146)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote and Fulfill the Countywide Vision.
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bienestar is Wellbeing (Bienestar) is non-financial in nature. Bienestar will provide bags of food as in-kind donations for distribution at Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DPH provides low-cost health services through FQHCs and public health clinics located throughout the county. According to the 2025 Health Center Program Uniform Data System report, 31 percent of FQHC patients screened positive for food insecurity and 24 percent had a diagnosis of overweight or obesity. DPH is increasing access to healthy food by establishing the FQHC food distribution program.
Bienestar is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing hunger and food insecurity in underserved communities across California by providing healthy and nutritious food to individuals and families in need, regardless of financial circumstances. Bienestar partners with regional wholesalers to receive and distribute a large variety of high-quality food at no cost.
The recommended non-financial MOU with Bienestar includes non-standard terms that differ from the standard County contract terms:
1. The MOU does not require Bienestar to meet the County’s insurance standards as required pursuant to County Policy 11-07.
• The County Policy requires contractors to carry appropriate insurance at limits and under conditions determined by the County’s Risk Management Department and set forth in the County standard contract.
• Potential Impact: The contract does not include County standard insurance requirements. This means that the County has no assurance that Bienestar will be financially responsible for claims that may arise from the County’s use of the donated food.
2. The MOU does not require Bienestar to indemnify the County for all claims arising out of the contract.
• The County standard contract indemnity provision requires the Contractor to indemnify, defend, and hold County harmless from third party claims arising out of the acts, errors or omissions of any person.
• Potential Impact: Bienestar is not required to defend, indemnify or hold the County harmless from claims arising from the County’s own acts or omissions which may arise during the performance of the contract. If the County is sued for any claim, the County may be solely liable for the costs of defense and damages.
DPH has reviewed the non-standard terms and determined that the benefit to the County outweighs the potential risks the non-standard terms pose and recommends approval of the MOU with Bienestar.
Approval of this item would allow DPH to receive bi-weekly in-kind donations of 50 bags of food from Bienestar, for distribution at the San Bernardino FQHC, with plans to expand services to the Ontario, Hesperia and Adelanto FQHCs in the future. The partnership with Bienestar reflects the County’s commitment to value-based care and aligns with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Food is Medicine initiative, reinforcing DPH’s role in improving both health outcomes and overall community well-being by providing fresh produce to patients who have screened positive for food insecurity. In addition, DPH dietitians will provide education on how to improve health and reduce chronic illness. The food distribution program will provide services to approximately 600 households per year.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 30, 2026; Risk Management (Arrissia Beaven, Staff Analyst II, 386-9030) on September 28, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Guy Martinez, Principal Administrative Analyst, 387-5428) on October 1, 2026.