As the loaves of French bread, the frosted bakery cinnamon rolls and the boxes of bright red tomatoes were set up at the Fort Bragg Food Bank Monday, many stomachs were growling at the feast.
And the program”s clients hadn”t even arrived yet.
Volunteers were proud and tempted by the quality of the donated food provided to the hungry this holiday Season of Sharing. It was the kind of food they would feed their own families.
“Lots of people say that the Fort Bragg Food Bank has the best food around,” said volunteer Karen McDonell.
Volunteer Jerry Smith moved carts, piled big Quaker Oatmeal tubs and ran errands, a smile never leaving his face. Volunteer Lupe Arreguin carefully stacked bakery goods, which had arrived from Safeway without getting crushed, and appearing fresh. On a 30-foot food giveaway line, volunteer Holly Skinner sorted small crisp bars of Quaker Chocolate Chips oats. Behind the line in the crowded warehouse, brothers Cim and Jared Ayres packed dozens of sacks of staples that are given to clients. Each client gets one sack already filled with the most essential foods, then gets one to fill themselves with bread and another for produce.
The Food Bank on Monday morning had the hustle bustle and even the good food of an outdoor market in San Francisco”s Chinatown. Volunteers unloaded big truckloads of food. The parking lot was full of people carrying boxes into the warehouse or sorting vegetables for freshness.
Inside the warehouse, the activity was frenetic and jovial. Most of the volunteers laughed and tried to duck the newspaper camera, while sorting and giving away truckloads of food. As early morning gave way, more than 100 clients were arriving, standing in line to partake in the colorful smorgasbord.
Nancy Severy, the Food Bank”s new executive director, reports there are 17 percent more hungry people this year than last. When the monthly newsletter went out last week with that message, the community response was immediate.
“The donations started flying in as soon as people received the newsletter,” Severy said.
The Food Bank still needs help with its ambitious goal of giving away 600 turkeys on both Christmas and Thanksgiving.
“We attack hunger and we do it on a grand scale,” said Bill Mertle, president of the Food Bank board for the past six years.
Last year, there were 538 given away at Thanksgiving, thanks in part to the Dwain Ray challenge, in which the carpet cleaning and janitorial specialist matches gifts of turkeys by others up to 250 turkeys. He matches donations made by other individuals or businesses who donate $200 or 25 turkeys.
“With your help, Dwain has the goal of providing 45 percent of the total turkeys that we need (1200),” wrote Severy in the newsletter.
“Please help Dwain meet his goal. Just a few people will make a big difference.”
The Food Bank needs other foodstuff, too. It adds all the fixings to each turkey provided, as well as giving away food every week at its North Franklin location.
Collection barrels
Collection barrels can be found at Safeway, Harvest Market, Purity, the Savings Bank, Fort Bragg Post Office and Curves.
Walk-in food donations can also be brought directly to The Food Bank warehouse at 910 N. Franklin St. during regular business hours.
Especially needed are turkey stuffing, gravy mix, apple cider, chicken broth and canned green beans, corn or peas, but any foods that make the holiday meal special are welcomed.
Food Bank hours
The Food Bank office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It is closed on Tuesday.
Food is given out on Monday and Friday from noon to 3 p.m., and on Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m., with a special time for seniors from 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. all three days. For more information, call 964-9404 or email foodbank@mcn.org.
How to help financially
Beginning in 1995, the Advocate-News and The Mendocino Beacon began sponsoring “Season of Sharing,” an annual community fund-raiser for the Fort Bragg Food Bank.
Of the 60 or so very worthy non-profit organizations serving our area, the newspapers” publisher, Sharon Brewer, always puts her full support behind the Food Bank”s efforts, “Because they are addressing the most basic problems facing so many — hunger.”
“We support many community causes, but the Food Bank”s cause is the one we get entirely behind,” says Brewer. “We can”t address other problems, if hunger isn”t addressed first.”
Once again the Community Foundation of Mendocino County will administer the fund-raiser free of charge, enabling all donations to directly benefit the Food Bank.
Address checks to the Community Foundation of Mendocino County (CFMC), and mailed to Advocate-News, P.O. Box 1188, Fort Bragg, 95437. Donations may also be dropped by the newspaper office, located at 450 N. Franklin St.
The newspapers will provide weekly updates on the total dollars raised, with the names of contributing individuals and businesses, unless they wish to remain anonymous. The fund-raiser runs through Jan. 31, 2007.
This week”s update
As of Monday afternoon, the Season of Sharing had raised $1,061. Here”s the list of contributors who sent checks last week: Gene and Elizabeth Davis, Vernon and Stephanie Jacobson, Henry Foltz, Barbara Barkovich,Jack Rappaport, Donald and Patricia Kuchta, C. Michael Thacker, the Purple Rose and two anonymous contributions.
