Senior Brown Bag Easter Treat

 

For Easter Rosa thought a tiny treat for her senior clients might brighten up their day.  Robin and Rosa assembled goody bags from what we received through donations.  

They had Peeps and other candy. 

Looks like Rosa's efforts worked at our Season's distribution. 

 



 

Our senior clients at our Senior Brown Bag distribution at Dino Drive seem happy with their Easter goody bags. 

 

Starbucks Volunteers Continue Work at EGFBS

In the group photo (not in the correct order):  Heather, Taylor, Dave, Sam, Arlene and Stephanie. 

Every month for almost a year these dedicated volunteers from Starbucks come to help EGFBS in our warehouse.  These wonderful people assemble the food boxes that we transport to our clients who live in the far corners of Elk Grove:  migrant farm workers in the Franklin area, and low-income seniors at the Seasons apartments.  

This month they assembled 170 boxes in two hours!  Starbucks came to get the job done.  It was very difficult to get them to stop work for a moment for the group photo.

Thanks, Starbucks, for your dedication and service.  Your work helps us bring food to clients who live remotely and are without transportation to our facility on Dino Drive.  

If your group or business would like to take on a project, like Starbucks did, contact our volunteer coordinator, Deb, at (916) 685-8453. 

BJ's Restaurant and Brewery

BJ's Restaurant was in the house yesterday volunteering and put together 66 Senior Brown Bag food boxes in ONE hour!!

Our friends from BJ's Restaurant also assisted in sorting donated food and worked through one whole pallet of canned goods. 

The crew from BJ's enjoyed their time working  in our warehouse and were motivated about what they accomplished.  

More exciting news: BJ's is going to partner with us and have a clothing drive among their staff to collect clothes for our Clothes Closet.

Thank you, BJ's Restaurant for your continued support and we look forward to having you back!!

BJ's Restaurant and Brewery
9237 Laguna Springs Drive
Elk Grove, CA  95758

Wells Fargo Volunteers at EGFBS

While we were at the Seasons apartments delivering food to our isolated senior clients, Wells Fargo Bank volunteered at our Dino Drive facility. They brought with them donations, nearly 77 lbs of food.

In their one hour of volunteering they filled 55 boxes for our Senior Brown Bag program and sorted through 48 boxes of canned goods!

It would take four volunteers two full days to do the boxes for the brown bag program and another day to sort through the canned goods.

And Wells Fargo Bank did it in ONE HOUR!!!

Thank you, Wells Fargo, for your continued support of Elk Grove Food Bank Services!

Mobile Pantry at Seasons Apartments

Jeff, Dale and Thieu unload food boxes for distribution.

Every third Wednesday, we pack up boxes of food and personal items and transport them to our clients at the Seasons apartments on Bilby Road.  We bring these items to serve our senior clients who are without transportation to our Dino Drive facility. 

Mauryne assists Rosa in keeping track of clients in the program,

and making reminder calls prior to delivery day. 

 Mauryne Dean is our volunteer contact at the Seasons.  Mauryne is a graduate of our Support Works program. Her mentor and other volunteers assisted her in her move out of a difficult housing situation and move into the Seasons. 

Mauryne told me of how she and her neighbors look forward to our deliveries.  "They forgot to put the Mobile Pantry on this month's calendar of events.  Everyone was concerned that your program was cancelled." 

Darrell makes sure that each food box contains fresh produce. 

Our caseworker, Renee, visited with our clients and let them know what kind of services Elk Grove Food Bank Services provides besides food and clothing.  Renee was so touched by the number of seniors and their interest in receiving help, that she will accompany the Mobile Pantry next month. 

I unloaded a food box to see what was in there. 

I also spoke with one of our clients, Rosemarie.  She said that she had been receiving our supplemental food boxes for about a year and was very thankful.  Rosemarie said, "The extra food makes a difference, I can make it to the end of each month."  She also appreciated the type of food she receives, "I don't cook.  The pots and pans are too heavy for me."

This month we included a "goody bag" full of personal hygiene products. 

 Our clients lined up to receive their food

The next time a looked up, the line was longer.

A grateful client slipped Rosa this thank you note: 

Dear Food Bank Staff,
It's never too late to "Thank You" for all your help!  I never take nothing for granted in life because life changes daily. 

These brown bag boxes are precious to me.  I'm usually eating the last of my reserves and then like magic the box arrives and its like a Christmas morning surprise.  Who would think that a roll of toilet paper would bring a smile to my face. 

Thank you from my heart.....

After the able-bodies clients come downstairs to pick up their food boxes, Jeff and Darrell made deliveries to the shut ins.  These two caring volunteers spend time with each client, making sure that things are ok. 

Rosa brought pet food for our clients' furry companions

This month we served 62 households (86 individuals), with two households on the waiting list.  Part of this program is funded by a grant from Kaiser Permanente's Sacramento Valley Community Benefit program. 

Elk Grove Food Bank Services

Mobile Pantry at the Seasons

Every Third Wednesday of the Month

Belated Thanks to Both EG Rotary Clubs

I found out at our recent staff meeting that I missed the huge donation by our EG Rotary Clubs. These generous organizations heard about the rising number of senior clients coming to our food bank. Upon hearing about some of the medical problems and mobility issues these senior clients have, they stepped up and donated $5,000 worth of Nutritional Shakes (Ensure), sugar-free gelatin and sugar-free pudding.

Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla Nutritional Shakes

Cherry Gelatin

Chocolate Pudding, yum!

This donation will help nourish our most fragile and vulnerable clients. Some are diabetic, others have mobility issues and cannot cook their meals. The products donated by the Rotary clubs are not the typical foods we receive from food drives, and are very expensive for us to purchase.

These products will be distributed in our Senior Brown Bag, Wellness Bag, and Mobile Pantry programs.

Thank you!

The Rotary Club of Elk Grove
P. O. Box 138
Elk Grove, CA 95759

The Rotary Club of Laguna Sunrise
916-525-2485

This is How Rosa Does It

I have always wondered how our super organized volunteers assemble the growing number of food boxes we distribute in our Senior Brown Bag program. As you can see our Program is growing in leaps and bounds!

Our Program Manager, Rosa, and our volunteers systematically fill these boxes, making ready for distribution day. We fill the boxes with healthy, nutritional foods for our senior clients; we take in consideration their health concerns and dietary restrictions.

A partially filled Senior Brown Bag box

When they are done assembling the boxes, the boxes are moved across the warehouse near the roll-up doors for distribution. Clients pick-up their food boxes on their designated day. Our volunteers deliver to our home-bound clients.

If you are interested in receiving a Senior Brown Bag, please follow the link above to the EG Food Bank website for more information about our Program.

P. S. Our wonderful Program Manager, Rosa, is one of our long-time, daily volunteers.

GiveSmart Donation

The GiveSmart fund of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation selected our Senior Brown Bag program for a donation!

We were selected as a finalist in their "aging and senior services" section, and our Vice-Chairperson, Mike Retzlaff, attended a meeting of the Foundation and presented information about EGFBS and the Senior Brown Bag program. Mike's compelling presentation resulted in EG Food Bank receiving a $4,050 gift from the GiveSmart fund of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation!

Volunteers are thankful and eager to start serving seniors on the wait list.