It’s a contest, of sorts, Thursday night at 6 o’clock to see who can wear the most outlandish Christmas sweaters among the Second Harvest Food Bank’s team of volunteers as they are packing and sorting food items in the Industrial Park warehouse.
Staffer Jessica Vaughan said 60 volunteers are placing labels on 5,000 cans of peaches donated by California Healthy Harvest located on Blue Gum Avenue in Modesto.
Vaughan said those interested in helping should call her at 239-2091 in advance to register for what she says will be an active and fun evening. The warehouse is located at 1220 Vanderbilt Circle, off of Industrial Park Drive.
She added that it will be a “family friendly” event and children may accompany parents to help with the sorting. There will be hot chocolate and cookies for volunteers.
Vaughan said the food bank is currently looking for Class C truck drivers who can help with the “retail rescue” operation where the food bank drives to markets in the area and picks up foods that are nearing their use date but can still be used after they are frozen in time and given to homeless individuals. It would require a two-day weekly commitment, she added, saying she also needs a driver to drive a truck on Christmas Eve to Manteca Ford where a free community breakfast and food distribution with take place at the North Main Street dealership.
Food Bank satellites are located throughout the community with available foods as well.
They include:
uBread of Life Every Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at 101 South Fremont.
uSt. Paul’s Methodist Church every Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. at 910 East North Street.
uCalvary Community Church, Monday and Wednesday, from 11 a.m. 815 West Lathrop Road.
uCornerstone Community Church, 10 a.m. until noon every third Saturday, 17900 Comconex Rd.
uSt. Vincent DePaul at St. Anthony’s, Monday-Friday, 1 to 3:45 p.m., 525 East North St.
uUnited Lutheran Church, 11 to 12:15 p.m. on Thursdays, 649 Northgate Avenue.
uFirst Baptist Church, call for hours and appointment, 715 East North Street.
uOur Lady of Guadalupe Church, 10 to 11:30 Tuesday & Thursday, 16200 Cambridge Dr., Lathrop.
uMobile Fresh trailer. Call for dates and hours, 1050 South Union Road.
The Senior Brown Bag Lunches are distributed in Manteca area at the Manteca Senior Center on the first and third Tuesdays of every month as well as at the Almond Terrace at 1976 North Union Road, Manteca on the same days. In Lathrop the Brown Bags are distributed at the Senior Center at 15557 Fifth Street on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. And, at the Ripon Senior Center, 433 South Wilma Avenue, they are available on the second and fourth Wednesdays.
The Food Bank website serving San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties is at www.localfoodbank.org.
To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.
