Nobody had time for interviews at the Food Bank last week.
Always wildly busy, this was the most frenetic Thanksgiving ever, and the flu had robbed the Food Bank of badly needed hands.
Volunteer John Teller pushed carts bulging with groceries given away in the giant baskets of fresh foods. Volunteer Charles Unser wanted to talk, but there was just too much work to do. People were scrambling, but all were smiling.
“We”re a little shorthanded this year and could use some volunteers,” said Lance Nelson, who runs the Food Bank warehouse and who moves faster than anybody else.
“But this is why we”re here. We love it,” he said.
The Food Bank distributed turkeys (or hams) to 725 clients last Tuesday and Wednesday.
“That”s up 15 percent from last year,” said Executive Director Nancy Severy. “Big thanks to all the individuals who brought us turkeys or donated money so we could buy turkey.”
I set out to profile the givers this week, but two things make that difficult; there isn”t enough space in the paper to mention everybody who gives to this community feeding effort. And to many, the pleasure of giving is visibly palatable but is also often private. This is something we all know intrinsically, which is also written down in the texts of the great religions.
“When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you,” says the New Testament book of Matthew, chapter 6:3-4.
I have an online book business that we are slowly converting into a non-profit recycling and employment program next door to the Food Bank. I keep the Food Bank supplied with books that I can”t sell but which I think people will read.
At first, I took romance novels, but found Food Bank clients want meat, not candy. After one book drop-off, I saw a homeless man, bearded and backpacked, reading the illustrated copy of Dostoevsky that had recently left my sorting tables. He was reading the great work of Russian literature as he walked down Franklin Street, reading some lines aloud.
It was a thrill, but I didn”t want him to know that this item he was enjoying so much had been something disposable to me just a few hours before.
The opportunity to give with discretion can be found at any of the Food Bank barrels around town (Harvest, Safeway, Purity, Harvest at Mendosa”s, Savings Bank of Mendocino County”s branches in Fort Bragg and Mendocino, Mendo Lake Credit Union, College of the Redwoods, Cliff House, Caspar Inn, Curves, Fort Bragg and Mendocino post offices and Toto Zaida).
“We”re asking everyone to put an item or two in a barrel every time they shop for groceries,” said Severy. “This will help tremendously with providing fixin”s to go with the Christmas holiday distribution.”
One big giving program that begets more giving was started by carpet cleaner Dwain Ray several years ago.
Five businesses this year have put up $8,000 so far in matching funds.
“We are thrilled that Dwain Ray (of Dwain Ray”s Quality Carpet Care) and Richard McDonald (of Richard McDonald Roofing), joined this year by Bart Milne of Milne Insurance, Mendocino Caregivers and the Savings Bank, are again sponsoring our annual Turkey Challenge,” said Severy. “So that our Food Bank families will be able to enjoy a nutritious holiday meal this Thanksgiving and Christmas, they will match donations of $200 or 20 turkeys (or more).”
Another popular program is Harvest Market”s, where givers can pay for a turkey at the check stand and the store will deliver it to the Food Bank.
“We still need donations for our Christmas distribution,” said Severy.
One group that works very quietly behind the scenes is the Do-gooders in Mendocino. They hold an annual $30 per plate luncheon at the Little River Inn. The chef and wait staff donate their time, while the inn donates the food and the location, allowing virtually all of the money raised to go directly to the Food Bank.
Last year the room was full at about 70 people. This year the Acafellas will provide entertainment at the elegant lunch on Dec. 8 at 12:30 p.m.
I”ve seen business people give everything from auto repair to shoes at the Food Bank, usually without wanting credit. The most popular and needed books at the Food Bank are not Russian philosophers but children”s books.
Cheshire Books has a program through Dec. 15 in which community members purchase children”s books using the store”s discount plan. As the books are collected, Cheshire Books” staff tags each with a label describing the age and gender most suitable for that book”s recipient. Middle School AVID students wrap the books which are taken to the Food Bank in time for the last delivery of food before Christmas. That”s when the books will be given to families with children.
The parking lot of the Food Bank is often the scene of festive multi-species giving. Second Chance Rescue provides free flea and tick treatment to dogs of Food Bank clients. “They also regularly bring us pet food to distribute,” said Severy.
Some of the poorest people are the heaviest givers. To return to the Bible, the story of the woman who gave her last penny to the poor evokes what I see at the Food Bank. I see more joy than pain in the faces of many givers on fixed incomes, especially the volunteers.
On Nov. 5 the Food Bank family celebrated volunteers” contribution to the Food Bank at the annual Volunteer Appreciation Lunch — this year (as last) donated by the North Coast Brewing Company.
“We enjoyed a delicious lunch and each volunteer received a beautiful succulent plant donated by Rella of Simply Succulents. Our volunteers are awesome!” said Severy. “We say the same thing every year — but it”s so true. We can”t do it without them.”
The Food Bank, 910 N. Franklin, Fort Bragg, is open every weekday but Tuesday. Special senior hours are from 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Food Bank is open from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, a time designed for working people. For information, call 964-9404.
Season of Sharing
The purpose of the Advocate-News and The Mendocino Beacon”s annual Season of Sharing fund drive is to raise money the Food Bank can use year-round.
This year”s target is an ambitious $36,000, which would bring the total raised since our first fund drive in 1995 to just over $200,000.
The Community Foundation of Mendocino County administers the Season of Sharing free of charge as a courtesy to the newspapers. Every cent received goes to the Food Bank.
Checks should be addressed to the Community Foundation of Mendocino County (CFMC), and mailed to the newspaper at P.O. Box 1188, Fort Bragg, 95437, or dropped by our office, located at 450 N. Franklin St., Fort Bragg.
If you have any questions about the fund drive, call us at 964-5642. The fund drive began Nov. 12 and will end Dec. 31.
Season of Sharing has raised $12,680 to date. Our sincerest thanks to Gale Harrold, C.D. Grant and Eric Neel, Firmian Designs, Michael and Mary Schuh, In Memory of Connie R. Cinnamon, Linda Jupiter, Janice Boyd, Dr. P.P. Coukoulis and one anonymous donor.
We gratefully acknowledge each week”s donors by printing their names in the newspapers, unless they ask to remain anonymous.
