By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
Last year, the congregation of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in the Valley of Enchantment section of Crestline saw a need in the community to have a food bank distribution every week. They started out their community food bank small, but now they see about 125 people come by each Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to get the food items they distribute. Most people only come every other week as they distribute enough for entire families.
Usually the food bank distributes breads, hamburger buns and pastries from Jensen’s, fresh in season vegetables and fruits, plus canned soups and pasta and boxed foods. They often have children’s juices and granola bars. Some weeks they are able to offer toiletries and soap. Some weeks they have clothing and jackets they give out.
Several other agencies such as the Top Town Food Bank and numerous churches give out food after their church services, but most do it once a month and some only during the summer months. The Seventh Day Adventist Church has chosen to do weekly distributions as families eat all month long. They are doing this from their hearts for the community.
Each weekly distribution is done by volunteers; many are SDA church members but they accept help from other community members too. Some members with trucks drive down the mountain to pick up the food items. They could use more volunteers to help; if they had more volunteers, then more food could be brought up the mountain.
When the food arrives up on the mountain, it must be divided up into family size bags for distribution. They place the food in the lobby of their church for people to pick up on Sunday morning. They never know how many may show up each week, as they have only been promoting this giveaway on Facebook and at some community meetings. The recipients are requested to bring their own bags to carry the food items home.
On Sunday, Feb. 23, an additional new program distinct and separate from the church’s food bank began. This new program is focused on getting fresh vegetables and fruits to local seniors. Coordinator Bonnie Cole said, “This food is offered through San Bernardino County’s Community Action Partnership, whose motto is “Helping People, Changing Lives.” The 50 boxes of fresh veggies, and fruits was given to those 60 and over.
They are using the SDA Church for their distribution location as the church already has a steady food bank operation. The number of boxes that can be distributed is only limited by the space in the delivery trucks. The county came to them and asked them to please be involved in helping the local seniors with this additional program.
The food is distributed to the first 50 seniors who pick up the boxes after 10 a.m. on the fourth Sunday of the month. One of the younger men, who was carrying one of the heavy boxes of fresh veggies for a senior, commented to them, “You are the reason we serve in God’s kingdom.” In the boxes were parsnips, various lettuces, kale and greens, a bag of apples and another of tangerines. There were radishes, rainbow carrots and containers of soups and cereals.
The Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County has in the past brought a truck of items and distributed it on an alternate month basis during good weather but were unable to find a suitable and consistent place to put their truck for the distributions. Through this partnership with the SDA Church location, they feel they will reach more mountain people with their help.
The 50 boxes were all distributed before noon so next month if they can fit 75 boxes into the delivery trucks they will because they see the need is there.
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