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GOOD DEEDS IN THE BAG
Political groups donate $2,200 to food bank
democrat
Members of the Democratic Club of Manteca and Indivisible Manteca collaborated Wednesday in putting together some 255 food bags while presenting Second Harvest Food Bank with a sizable cash donation.

Two local political organizations worked together Thursday in an effort to help feed the needy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members of the Democratic Club of Manteca and Indivisible Manteca spent the morning at Second Harvest Food Bank, preparing bags of food for distributions while taking extra precautions and implementing social distancing.

Both groups also provided a monetary contribution, collecting $2,200 in donations to Second Harvest.

“We had a last-minute donor (of $200),” said Cathy Martinez, who is the vice chair for the DCM.

She credited Manteca Councilman Gary Singh and Wayne Adler of Indivisible Manteca for helping organize the collaborative effort.

“They contacted the food bank and the group of volunteers,” Martinez said.

The two groups put together 255 bags – each consisting of 30 to 40 pounds of fresh food products, perishable and non-perishable items, according to Second Harvest Executive Assistant and Development Director Jessica Vaughan – in about 90 minutes, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

The food bank’s Mobile Fresh, in turn, will take the bagged goods to Grace Community Church for distribution to seniors and needy families in Lathrop.

Since Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home orders, Second Harvest has experienced a 300 percent increase in distribution and about 65 percent increase from people coming through, Second Harvest’s Jessica Vaughan added.

Phyllis McDonald, who is treasurer for the DCM, added that helping out the community during these “unprecedented times of need” was a way for both groups to stay relevant.

The purpose of the Democratic Club of Manteca is to advance goals of the political party via public policy and electing candidates for public for public office up and down the ballot.

Indivisible Manteca is a non-partisan community political organization that participates in advocacy and action in support of local, state and federal issues.

Second Harvest helps over 35,000 individuals in need each month in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced and the Mother Lode counties, acquiring and storing donated and purchase food items and effectively organizing and delivering the goods to partnering agencies and program sites for distribution.