Social Justice & Community
UC Santa Cruz alumni leading local nonprofits: Grey Bears
Many nonprofits across Santa Cruz County have roots that trace back to UC Santa Cruz alumni, who played pivotal roles in launching and shaping their missions. Grey Bears was founded by late UC Santa Cruz alumna Kristina Mailliard (Cowell ’74) in 1973.
Grey Bears volunteers help bag fresh produce as part of the Healthy Food Program. Photo courtesy of Richard Moss.
Key takeaways
- Late UC Santa Cruz alumna Kristina Mailliard (Cowell ’74) founded Grey Bears in 1973.
- Grey Bears Development Manager Kayla Traber provides insight into the legacy of Mailliard and the continued impact Grey Bears has on the Santa Cruz senior population.
Santa Cruz County is home to over a thousand nonprofit organizations, groups dedicated to strengthening the community, supporting those in need, and making a meaningful impact. Many of these nonprofits have roots that trace back to University of California, Santa Cruz alumni who played pivotal roles in launching and shaping their missions. Among those are one of Santa Cruz’s most recognizable names—Grey Bears —founded by a UC Santa Cruz alumna and integral to the community’s health and well-being.
In the early 70s, late UC Santa Cruz alumna Kristina Mailliard (Cowell ’74) noticed that local seniors were having difficulties putting food on the table. And, as she engaged with seniors, Mailliard realized they didn’t want a handout, but rather a hand-in to the process of addressing community issues.
“That’s how Grey Bears became a ‘seniors helping seniors’ organization,” said Grey Bears’ Development Manager Kayla Traber, who provided insight into Mailliard’s legacy. By 1975, Grey Bears had 1,000 members aged 60-plus.
“This [seniors helping seniors] does so much for our community and volunteers, providing opportunities for interaction and community engagement. This philosophy has become foundational to our mission and value system. By supporting and uplifting and taking care of our elders, we’re creating a more equitable community for everybody.”
Over 50 years later, Grey Bears has become one of the most recognizable nonprofit names in Santa Cruz County through its network of programs that provide seniors with free and low-cost food. In 2024, 759 volunteers donated over 70,000 hours. Two-thirds of these volunteers were seniors themselves.
“We know that nourishment is so much more than the food we put in our bellies,” says Traber. “It’s the connections we make.”
Carrying on Mailliard’s Vision
Grey Bears’ Healthy Food Program has three parts: Healthy Food Bag delivery, On-site Food Distribution, and weekday Hot Lunch Meals.
Grey Bears buys and collects food from local food banks for its Healthy Food Bag program. Every Thursday and Friday, volunteers bag and deliver fresh produce and dry staples to over 4,000 senior households through 42 county-wide distribution sites and dozens of door-to-door routes. In 2024, this program distributed 1.5 million pounds of food.
During On-site Food Distribution—nicknamed “Grey Bears Market”—seniors select free groceries that may include fresh produce, fresh proteins, eggs, milk, and prepared foods. The Hot Lunch program saw 63,631 meals served in 2024.
Sources for on-site food distribution and hot meals are mostly from Grey Bears’ food recovery program. In 2024, Grey Bears recovered 1.9 million pounds of food that would have gone to waste. Each day, Grey Bears volunteers do what Executive Director Jennifer Merchant refers to as “modern-day gleaning,” picking up groceries from 20-plus local farms, markets and vendors including local orchards and gardens. Sometimes donations can come from unexpected places: in March, volunteers went to a community member’s property and harvested 875 pounds of citrus.
“In total, including all three segments of the Grey Bears Healthy Food Program in 2024, we picked up and distributed 3.4 million pounds of food to nourish Santa Cruz County seniors in need,” says Merchant.
In addition to its food programs, Grey Bears offers classes for seniors, has two composting programs, and a thrift store that brings in most of the nonprofit’s income.
While the nonprofit has grown, it remains true to its roots. Kristina Mailliard held Grey Bears’ first event in 1973—a potluck Harvest Festival attended by 300 people. More than 50 years later, the autumn Harvest Festival remains Grey Bears’ hallmark event, though now the organization provides the food rather than relying on potluck donations.
“This is one way we’re able to keep our founder’s legacy alive,” says Traber.