Do your part: Volunteer at a food distribution
The Fresno Bee reported last week that Community Food Bank and HandsOn Central California are looking for volunteers to help out at food distributions in communities that have been impacted by the water shortage on the west side of Fresno County.
According to the Bee story, the relief agencies plan to hand out about 3 million pounds of food a month in the communities of Firebaugh, Huron, Mendota, San Joaquín and Selma – but they need at least 145 volunteers for each food distribution. Officials from the relief agencies are asking faith-based groups, furloughed employees, and everyone else, to volunteer at these food distributions.
Over the past couple months, I’ve seen many of these food distributions. I’ve seen the hundreds of people who wait in long lines in the hot sun to receive basic food staples. People have told me stories of how they cannot find work in the fields, so they and their children have had to survive on very little – maybe just beans, rice and tortillas.
I encourage anyone who wants to make a difference in the community to donate just a few hours of their time. I’ve always wished I could do something to help these communities, and it sounds like this might be the right opportunity.
Visit HandsOn Central California for more information about volunteering at a food distribution. Vida photo by Daniel Cásarez.
