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The spirit of giving helps many
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| Photos by Rebecca Maston The Food Bank is distributing holiday meals out to families in need of some extra help. |
By Shannon Savage - Citizen Staff Writer
Christmas can be a magical time of year for families. But when money is tight, stretching Christmas funds can get tricky.
For some Elk Grove families this is the time of year when they need the most help to make the holidays special even if finances are running low.
“I got laid off over two months ago,” said Amber Clendenning, Elk Grove resident for two years. “I was embarrassed the first time that I came but it’s real helpful because instead of not eating or only eating Top Ramen we are able to actually eat food. I’m just grateful that these people are here.”
About 670 families signed up for the free Christmas dinner program at the Elk Grove Food Bank Services, said Crystal Ham, operations director of the organization.
“It gives me great pleasure to help this very generous community to give back to the less fortunate,” Ham said. “I have a wonderful job being the conduit between.”
To feed the massive number the Food Bank accepted donations from individuals in the community as well as companies like Raleys.
“Raleys donated $6,000 worth of turkey, hams and chickens,” Ham said. “WinCo (Foods) bought the pies and their manager even donated 100 pies out of his own pocket.”
In addition to a meat item and a pie the baskets contained spaghetti, canned vegetables and fruit, rice, beans, peanut butter, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
The holiday bags of food were donated by customers at Raleys for $20 each.
But even with the Food Bank’s year round help, Ham said more people signed up for Christmas dinner help than last year.
“There’s more and more every year,” Ham said.
To help out with the holiday rush many Food Bank staff members were present to hand out food.
“It’s rewarding,” said Moises Rodriguez, Food Bank staff member. “You feel good about it. I’ve been in that situation when I needed help too. So I know how it is.”
As well as staff the Food Bank had a wealth of volunteers from local churches and the Elk Grove Lions Club.
“The fabulous Lions Club is helping us direct traffic,” Ham said. “We couldn’t do it without them.”
But Lions Club members said it was all in a day’s work.
“We just volunteer for everything,” said Joe Tallerico, member of the Lions Club for six years. “Five years ago we started doing this to help with parking. All we do is traffic control but it makes us feel good to help out.”
Every volunteer counts though to help out with people who are in need this holiday season.
“It’s a good thing,” said Sheri Thurs, Sacramento resident. “It’s good that there’s help out there.”
Thurs, who takes care of her grandchildren, lost her job and needed some assistance.
“We wouldn’t have had Christmas dinner otherwise,” Thurs said.
In addition to groceries for a Christmas dinner, participants also received a ticket that was redeemable at the Elk Grove Clothes Closet.
“It went extremely well”, said Cathy O’Neil, director of the clothes closet. “We had enough gifts for over 2,000 people.”
Everyone accepted their gifts, “with a hearty ‘merry Christmas’ and a ‘thank you,’” O’Neil said.
“The people were very gracious about waiting,” O’Neil said. “And some of them even helped us.”
Although this was only the second year gifts were given in addition to food, O’Neil said the tradition is one she would like to continue.
“All year long people have donated good things, gift type things to the clothes closet,” O’Neil said. “There were some very nice bedding, toys, books (and) re-gifted items.”
To start up for next year, individuals are welcome to donate, “regiftable (sic) items year round,” O’Neil said.
Other volunteers said working at the Food Bank around Christmas is a way to keep grounded.
“A lot of these people with- out us would not have an opportunity to have a decent Christmas meal,” said Jack Porter, volunteer. “But people in Elk Grove don’t know the severity. They make sure they have all of their gifts and they don’t tend to think about others.”
Spreading the word about the plight of some people who live in town is another way volunteers help out, Porter said.
“When I work here I can tell friends who don’t know and how they can help out,” Porter said. “Not just by working here but by donations.”
For more information about all of the Elk Grove Community Food Bank Services, visit www.elkgrovefoodbank.org.
For some Elk Grove families this is the time of year when they need the most help to make the holidays special even if finances are running low.
“I got laid off over two months ago,” said Amber Clendenning, Elk Grove resident for two years. “I was embarrassed the first time that I came but it’s real helpful because instead of not eating or only eating Top Ramen we are able to actually eat food. I’m just grateful that these people are here.”
About 670 families signed up for the free Christmas dinner program at the Elk Grove Food Bank Services, said Crystal Ham, operations director of the organization.
“It gives me great pleasure to help this very generous community to give back to the less fortunate,” Ham said. “I have a wonderful job being the conduit between.”
To feed the massive number the Food Bank accepted donations from individuals in the community as well as companies like Raleys.
“Raleys donated $6,000 worth of turkey, hams and chickens,” Ham said. “WinCo (Foods) bought the pies and their manager even donated 100 pies out of his own pocket.”
In addition to a meat item and a pie the baskets contained spaghetti, canned vegetables and fruit, rice, beans, peanut butter, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
The holiday bags of food were donated by customers at Raleys for $20 each.
But even with the Food Bank’s year round help, Ham said more people signed up for Christmas dinner help than last year.
“There’s more and more every year,” Ham said.
To help out with the holiday rush many Food Bank staff members were present to hand out food.
“It’s rewarding,” said Moises Rodriguez, Food Bank staff member. “You feel good about it. I’ve been in that situation when I needed help too. So I know how it is.”
As well as staff the Food Bank had a wealth of volunteers from local churches and the Elk Grove Lions Club.
“The fabulous Lions Club is helping us direct traffic,” Ham said. “We couldn’t do it without them.”
But Lions Club members said it was all in a day’s work.
“We just volunteer for everything,” said Joe Tallerico, member of the Lions Club for six years. “Five years ago we started doing this to help with parking. All we do is traffic control but it makes us feel good to help out.”
Every volunteer counts though to help out with people who are in need this holiday season.
“It’s a good thing,” said Sheri Thurs, Sacramento resident. “It’s good that there’s help out there.”
Thurs, who takes care of her grandchildren, lost her job and needed some assistance.
“We wouldn’t have had Christmas dinner otherwise,” Thurs said.
In addition to groceries for a Christmas dinner, participants also received a ticket that was redeemable at the Elk Grove Clothes Closet.
“It went extremely well”, said Cathy O’Neil, director of the clothes closet. “We had enough gifts for over 2,000 people.”
Everyone accepted their gifts, “with a hearty ‘merry Christmas’ and a ‘thank you,’” O’Neil said.
“The people were very gracious about waiting,” O’Neil said. “And some of them even helped us.”
Although this was only the second year gifts were given in addition to food, O’Neil said the tradition is one she would like to continue.
“All year long people have donated good things, gift type things to the clothes closet,” O’Neil said. “There were some very nice bedding, toys, books (and) re-gifted items.”
To start up for next year, individuals are welcome to donate, “regiftable (sic) items year round,” O’Neil said.
Other volunteers said working at the Food Bank around Christmas is a way to keep grounded.
“A lot of these people with- out us would not have an opportunity to have a decent Christmas meal,” said Jack Porter, volunteer. “But people in Elk Grove don’t know the severity. They make sure they have all of their gifts and they don’t tend to think about others.”
Spreading the word about the plight of some people who live in town is another way volunteers help out, Porter said.
“When I work here I can tell friends who don’t know and how they can help out,” Porter said. “Not just by working here but by donations.”
For more information about all of the Elk Grove Community Food Bank Services, visit www.elkgrovefoodbank.org.
