I arrived at the Fort Bragg Food Bank seeking a volunteer willing to lend his or her name to Season of Sharing. Lots of people still don’t want their name used in the paper as needing food. We have used the Season of Sharing over the past few years to try to dispel such misconceptions and explain the glories of sharing. One woman spoke up and said although she didn’t want her name used but she asked for help at home, where things were getting difficult because of her knees. This was her first day out and she needed the food. Another woman chimed in that her door was stuck and she needed help. Her neighbor was out of food, could not get out of the house at all and was in need of help.
Although I did come seeking a story, all this was a little too real. I was thinking who I should call when Patsy Moore sat down next to the lady. Patsy, a volunteer, a client and busy working woman told them about services she could get and said she might be able to help, or would find an In Home Support Services (IHSS) worker who could.
Patsy was there to get food for her own IHSS client. She gave names of other caregivers to the second woman. I told the pair about the life-saving help my family has received at the Mendocino Coast Hospital Home Health and Hospice programs for my own family caregiving situation. But there are tricks with everything, paperwork to fill out, there are eligibility hoops to jump through.
Home Health’s amazing job
The Hospital Home Health folks are available to those who have checked out of the hospital, as follow up, and hospital return prevention. They have done an amazing job with myself and my 92-year-old mom, keeping us from returning to the emergency room. It’s wonderful to see how things work together when you try. Hospice will bring in many interesting volunteers to spend the last days with grandma or dad, but it means no more treatment for some things. One needs a guide to navigate through these gauntlets. Fortunately, there are many people here in our community like Patsy, who do just that.
Helpful neighbors in line that day eventually assisted both women. Later, Patsy followed up and decided to take on Margaret Champlain, the lady who first looked for help as a new client.
“I have been an IHSS worker for several years now. I find the work to be very rewarding, and I feel like I’m making a real difference in my client’s lives. I am also working for Parents and Friends Inc., and I’m a regular volunteer at the Fort Bragg Food Bank,” Patsy said.
Champlain said she is happy with the relationship with Patsy that started that day in October.
“I have two broken kneecaps. She really helps me by doing dishes, running the house and helping me go through things my mother left.”
The two like to give away the better stuff they find so that others can use them.
Struck with circle of giving
Champlain came here seven years ago and was immediately impressed with the circle of giving and caring in this community.
“This is a very strong community because people others all the time. People give what they have. I have a truck and if somebody needs it to move, I lend it and don’t charge,” said Champlain.
She said she is familiar with other places in California where good food is not available each week.
“In my opinion that is dangerous, when people are hungry, they can become almost cannibalistic. Other bad things follow. Here, there is good food available at the Food Bank and we all help each other. We all need to be thankful and helpful to each other”
“I pass the good word to everybody I meet who is in need. It’s wonderful, at Christmas or Thanksgiving you can get a turkey, ham or chicken. That really helps out this time of year.”
Fostering relationships
There are a lot of people out there living on the edge, in fear. Communities like the Food Bank and Senior Center are so important. Giving to Season of Sharing creates not just food for those in need, but also fosters life affirming or even saving relationships. The kind of potentially life-saving situation I saw that day happen all the time, and are not factored into the statistical reports that government funders rely upon. But givers can come down and see how their money is being spent, join in and volunteer too.
There truly is power in a community. This unseen force makes volunteers, staff and the institution itself stronger. In my trips through the Food Bank, I’m always thankful to find people full of energy and laughs like Moore. The smiles, energy and laughter is infectious and powerful especially for the sad and sullen people, some of whom may have lost a house, a loved one or are enduring a health catastrophe.
I’ve seen the fun atmosphere at the Food Bank convert several people who first came grudgingly under court order into willing volunteers who stayed on well past their term ended. Serving others greatly empowers people who have very little by society’s standards. The spirit of volunteering is one of the great hidden powers of America.
Power of community
When volunteers get together as a group, we have the superpower of community. About 50 people volunteer their time each month, said Food Bank executive director Nancy Severy.
“Volunteers donated 10,561 hours of their time last year! We absolutely depend on volunteers to get the work done. We love our colorful eclectic mix of volunteers and we have a core group of very experienced volunteers know exactly what to do. Our volunteer program is flexible and allows volunteers to establish a schedule that works for them,” Severy said.
The next volunteer I came upon was Gerry York, who was volunteering moving food through the production line. He is also a client. I first met Gerry when he heard about my chicken farm and gave me a chopper so my chickens could eat apples, squash and cucumbers. The fun of giving is both in receiving and giving. The Food Bank has become the free store of the Coast, giving away hundreds of pieces of clothing and hundreds of books and movies every week. I know because I provide many of the books.
Everyday a lot of stuff has come in and gone out. The Food Bank worked hard to deter abusers and the clients also will go out and tell people not to leave off stuff nobody can use. I have had many rewarding conversations with people who have read books I have left. One homeless man from a few years ago read any and all Russian literature I could find for him and then wanted to discuss the book.
No matter how much one gives, more comes back.
“I’ve made a lot of friends here. It’s a place you want to come back to and work and see how everybody is doing,” said York.
“There are a lot of different kinds of people here, more so than most people would think,” said York.
Season of Sharing donations so far: Nick Albonico (in memory of Nonie and Fred Grass), Deborah Smith and two anonymous donations, one in memory of Maria Alda Melo.
Checks for the Season of Sharing can be made to the Food Bank and mailed or dropped off at 910 N. Franklin Street. Please put “Season of Sharing” on the memo line. No amount is too small, the Food Bank can stretch every dollar. Your donation will go a long way towards making the lives of your friends and neighbors better. Donor names will be printed in the following week’s edition, unless they wish to remain anonymous.
