May Food Drive  from Sally Barron for Laguna Resource Center

May means beautiful spring days, blooming flowers, and the semi-annual food drive for the Resource Center.  Over the past few years the need for food assistance has increased dramatically, with summer months growing increasingly lean.  Let’s stock the food pantry now to prepare for summer!  The Food Pantry at the Resource Center is currently serving 1,000 people a month and struggles to keep up with the need.  If you have ever been out to the little Pantry in the Canyon between 7 and 10 in the morning, you can see the people lined up waiting to fill their bags, and the smiles on their faces as they leave with food for the week.  All non-perishable food items are needed, especially beans and rice, canned vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, cereals and canned meats, as well as personal care items, laundry and dish washing soap, kitchen cleaners and toilet paper.  Bring your donations to church on Sunday during November and the children will collect them.  Or write a check.  (Make checks payable to NCC, memo line marked “Resource Center” or “Food Bank.”)  

Each month, a church or spiritual community takes responsibility to stock the shelves of Laguna Relief and Resource Center (LRRC), where people can “shop” for food and household items all year long.  Even though April and November are the months for NCC’s semi-annual food collection for the Laguna Food Pantry, we help year-round.  Currently, between 200 and 300 (this is not a typo) families are being served weekly.  Some food is purchased from Second Harvest (cash donations help) but the Pantry relies on donations to meet the growing need.  Suggested donations include: canned fruits and vegetable, 1# bags of rice and dry pinto beans, cereals, canned tuna/meats/chili, pasta and sauce, peanut butter and jelly/jam, soup, macaroni and cheese, cooking oil, also soap, shampoo. deodorant, toothpaste, razors, diapers, and formula. Thank you for your generosity.

The Resource Center counts on all of us who “have” to share with those who “need,” remembering that the tables can turn at any time.  At all times, we are connected with one another and, indeed, are responsible to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers!  Although November will be NCC’s month to stock the shelves of Laguna’s own Resource Center, donations are welcome each and every day of the year.  Bring donations of non-perishable food items, household supplies (toothpaste, detergent, paper towels, etc.) or financial donations marked “Resource Center” all year long and share with our friends and neighbors who need a few extra resources through difficult times.