The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Wednesday, 02 September 2009 07:07

It doesn't have to be holiday season to realize the importance of giving back to the community. With times as tough as they are, giving back is just the thing to take the hardship off life and its troubles.

The local Community Food Bank, 3003 S. Country Club Rd., provides services to individuals and families in need.

The food bank provides services such as food boxes, “snack packs” and Food Plus, a program that extends help to low income mothers, children and the elderly.

“Knowing that we reach people is the most gratifying,” said Meghan Heddings, assistant to the president of the food bank.

The food bank receives quite a bit of donations from all over, including money and food donations.

This summer the United States Border Patrol Tucson Sector, 2430 S. Swan Road, was one of the agencies that participated in a food drive. The “Feds Feed Families” food drive was for all federal employees across the world. The food drive encourages federal employees to donate food and other items to their local food bank.

The items were collected for the months of July and August.

Lisa Reed, Community Relations Officer for the U.S Border Patrol said that for the month of July, 935 items of food were collected and 725 items for the month of August.

“There were 678 pounds of food donated and a $235 cash donation,” said Linda Hampton of the Community Food Bank.

Matilde Santa Cruz, who has been working at the Community Food Bank for eight years and serves as the community services coordinator, said the thing that she loves the most about her job is when she helps people in desperate need; they are the most thankful.

“When they see you at Wal-Mart, they notice you,” Santa Cruz said.

“We think we are the ones in need but it’s nothing like the people we see here,” Santa Cruz went on to say.

“It makes me feel good when we help people with food boxes. It’s a good relief to help,” Santa Cruz said.

Whether more people have gotten into the spirit of helping or the poor economic situation has pushed people to give back more is questionable, but it’s all in the numbers.

According to Heddings, in fiscal year 2007- 2008 volunteers worked 84,000 hours. In fiscal year 2008- 2009 the number of volunteer hours increased to 106,000. Along with that, the amount of food that was donated also increased from 16 million pounds to 22 million pounds.

With funding now more competitive and grants decreasing, Heddings said that the food bank is  financially stable only because of the help from communities in southern Arizona.

“It will be interesting to see what we have to do to keep up this year,” Heddings said.

Written by Tierra Prewitt You are reading The Gift That Keeps On Giving articles