Friday, Dec. 25, 2009

Rescue mission gives money to feed seniors

Brown Bag program will feed 170 people

The Merced County Food Bank and Los Baños Rescue Mission have teamed up to provide meals for scores of senior citizens that need help in town.

On Dec. 14 Steve Hammond, the mission's executive director, gave the food bank a check for $5,000 that will allow up to 175 Los Baños senior citizens to receive food in 2010 through the Brown Bag Program. The program provides food twice per month to seniors who may not otherwise be able to afford it.

Hammond said so far being part of the program has gone well. In an e-mail he said the rescue mission has signed up 145 local senior citizens for the program.

Israel Rodriguez, the food bank's operations manager, said he believes the assistance is critical.

"It helps supplement food for seniors. There is a big need in this economy," Rodriguez said. "They are left with a situation where they have to chose to buy medicine or buy food."

Rodriguez requests $30 for each senior in the county who participates in the Brown Bag Program. The money the food bank ereceived for the rescue mission will cover those costs.

The program used to be run by the state of California but was "blue lined" out of the budget this year.

Rodriguez's organization has been trying to run the program for Merced County on his own. He said the food bank needs as many donations and volunteers to help out as it can get. He said some of the costs the food bank incurs are transportation costs to pick up food donations made by people in other counties.

Countywide the Brown Bag Program serves 1,424 people, Rodriquez said. He said the number has risen from last year and he expects it to continue to climb.

"It's up, and it's going up hire," Rodriguez said.