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FROM LEFT: British soldiers Sgt. Trevor Thompson, Air Trooper James Christian and Air Trooper Ross Roberts carry food donations during a Feed the Children drive Thursday. |
Food essentials, household items and beauty supplies were distributed during a food rally at the Imperial Valley Food Bank in El Centro Thursday.
The event was sponsored by the international organization Feed the Children, through their program Americans Feeding Americans.
Four hundred families were contacted through nonprofits and given vouchers to exchange at the event, said Food Bank director Sara Griffen. Personnel from Naval Air Facility El Centro, “as well as other loyal volunteers,” are helping distribute the food, Griffen said.
Child hunger coordinator Loren Darr was in charge of organizing the food drive for the first time, Darr said.
“It’s really a great group effort,” she said, “and it’s really going smoothly. I’m excited.”
It took her three weeks to contact the agencies and put together a team of around 35 volunteers to help the “neediest of the neediest,” she said.
El Centro residents Jose Jesus Vallesillo and his wife Maria were some of the first to pick up the donations.
They used to work in the field, but now they are retired and are barely making ends meet, Vallesillo said.
“We can barely pay the rent and the bills and we don’t qualify for food stamps,” he said in Spanish. “The program is great,” said both one after the other.
“The economy is bad,” said IV Food Bank staff member Alba Sanchez. “Last year we served 800 families,” she said, adding that a poor economy also affects donations.
One of the good things about this year’s food drive was the organization, which was much better, Sanchez said.
Recipients continued arriving throughout the morning, trading their vouchers and taking their three boxes of donations.
One small car with four women in it called the attention of volunteers.
“It’s for four families. There’s space in the trunk,” said driver and Imperial resident Margarita Gutierrez in Spanish.
Once the trunk was full, the rest of the boxes were put on the passengers’ laps and in between the seats.
Donations are a great help “with the economy the way it is,” Gutierrez said moments later.
“This is a very good help,” back seat passenger and Imperial resident Catalina Dagnino said.
Dagnino doesn’t own a car so she had to get a ride from Gutierrez to pick up the donations.
The other two passengers couldn’t drive, said Amelia Gomez, also from Imperial. “I hope they keep helping us,” Gomez said.
The event was sponsored by the international organization Feed the Children, through their program Americans Feeding Americans.
Four hundred families were contacted through nonprofits and given vouchers to exchange at the event, said Food Bank director Sara Griffen. Personnel from Naval Air Facility El Centro, “as well as other loyal volunteers,” are helping distribute the food, Griffen said.
Child hunger coordinator Loren Darr was in charge of organizing the food drive for the first time, Darr said.
“It’s really a great group effort,” she said, “and it’s really going smoothly. I’m excited.”
It took her three weeks to contact the agencies and put together a team of around 35 volunteers to help the “neediest of the neediest,” she said.
El Centro residents Jose Jesus Vallesillo and his wife Maria were some of the first to pick up the donations.
They used to work in the field, but now they are retired and are barely making ends meet, Vallesillo said.
“We can barely pay the rent and the bills and we don’t qualify for food stamps,” he said in Spanish. “The program is great,” said both one after the other.
“The economy is bad,” said IV Food Bank staff member Alba Sanchez. “Last year we served 800 families,” she said, adding that a poor economy also affects donations.
One of the good things about this year’s food drive was the organization, which was much better, Sanchez said.
Recipients continued arriving throughout the morning, trading their vouchers and taking their three boxes of donations.
One small car with four women in it called the attention of volunteers.
“It’s for four families. There’s space in the trunk,” said driver and Imperial resident Margarita Gutierrez in Spanish.
Once the trunk was full, the rest of the boxes were put on the passengers’ laps and in between the seats.
Donations are a great help “with the economy the way it is,” Gutierrez said moments later.
“This is a very good help,” back seat passenger and Imperial resident Catalina Dagnino said.
Dagnino doesn’t own a car so she had to get a ride from Gutierrez to pick up the donations.
The other two passengers couldn’t drive, said Amelia Gomez, also from Imperial. “I hope they keep helping us,” Gomez said.
