Story submitted by Community UMC of Julian
Julian sits high in the Cuyamaca Mountains, a town best known for its apple pies, star-filled skies, and gold rush history. Visitors come for the charm. But for many who live here, life carries a harder edge. The nearest full grocery store is miles down the mountain, transportation is limited, and rising food costs stretch families thin. Food insecurity in the backcountry is not an idea it is a daily reality.
At Community United Methodist Church of Julian, we live into Cal-Pac’s vision of ending both spiritual and physical hunger. Two ministries, Mountain Manna Food Distribution & the Community Cafe stand at the heart of this work.
Mountain Manna has served the Julian community for over 20 years, steadily growing into a trusted safety net for families across the backcountry. Just this year alone, the program has expanded from 103 households in January 2025 to 116 by August a 12.6% increase. Membership has surged 34% during the same period. Each month, more than 250 individuals take home fresh produce, meats, dairy, pantry staples. This this coming season we will prepare holiday meal kits for Thanksgiving, we will have turkeys and at Christmas, hams with all the fixings. These meal kits mean families can gather and celebrate with dignity.
The Community Café, by contrast, is new and launched this year as a pilot program. Yet in a short time, it has become a cornerstone of connection. Once a month, residents and visitors share a free meal in a space that blends food, hospitality, and culture. Some gatherings are catered in part by local restaurants, showcasing cultural flavors while sustaining small businesses. Others are cooked in-house with the same goal: to reduce isolation, foster intergenerational ties, and strengthen well-being in a town where free public programs are rare.
Together, Mountain Manna and the Community Café offer more than just food. These programs provide vital resources, connect neighbors, uplift local businesses, and strengthen the fabric of community. They stand as an expression of Christ’s abundance in a place where distance and scarcity could otherwise divide. With participation up 34% since January, the need is clear and growing.
This Hunger Action Month, we are reminded that true treasure is not found in apples or gold alone, but in neighbors gathered around a table. Mountain Manna and the Community Café shine as backcountry blessings, feeding bodies, lifting spirits, and proving that even where resources are scarce, Christ’s abundance is more than enough. As participation continues to grow, so does the invitation: to stand together, share generously, and ensure that every neighbor in the San Diego backcountry has both food and fellowship.
If you would like to learn more https://www.julianmethodistchurch.org
As we honor Hunger Action Month, we invite you to explore more stories of how churches are serving their neighbors and addressing food insecurity. Read more inspirational stories here.
