FINLEY ? Dozens of low-income Lake County residents cradled paper bags filled with canned food and grabbed bread loaves, pastries and root beer Thursday during the first community donated food giveaway at the Clear Lake Gleaners in Finley.
Don Stewart, chairman of the board of the Clear Lake Gleaners, pointed at a sign posted on the wall, “Due to lack of funding the governor has chosen to eliminate the Brown Bag Program throughout the state of California effective Oct. 1, 2009.” Seniors, who had received food donations from the program, were left to rely on Social Security and help from the community. The Clear Lake Gleaners are one of those community organizations.
More than 70 low-income people from around the lake came to Finley to pick up food donated by Safeway and the Sentry Market in Nice, Stewart said. Cans of potatoes, beans, applesauce and other food weighed down the brown bags. Many of the food recipients were seniors.
Helen Overstreet, 67, of Finley said she appreciates the Gleaner”s program because Social Security and retirement afford her $700 a month, which covers rent, utilities and little else.
“There would be weeks when I would have no bread and I would have a very limited amount of fruit and vegetables,” Overstreet said.
Overstreet said she doesn”t have grown children who can help her, so she has to rely on food programs.
“I think this is a really good program and they work hard to be friendly to people,” Overstreet said. “They have made a real difference in my life.”
A woman who picked up a paper bag of groceries came back in the Gleaners building after loading her haul into her car and pushed $5 into a gas money donation jar.
Gladys Workman, treasurer with Clear Lake Gleaners, said the group does everything by donations. Bill Cude and Safeway have made donations to the Gleaners for more than 10 years. Luke McQuaid, 6, saves his allowance and donates to the Gleaners. Workman said she also wants to thank Matthew McQuaid and Sentry Market.
Workman said the Gleaners usually has more fresh fruit and vegetables in the summer, which is popular with needy families.
Stewart said the Gleaners also offer USDA food giveaways the first Wednesday of every month at each site around the lake that serves about 1,300 people. The USDA giveaways in March include cheese, ham, beans, soup, peas, oats, rice and more.
If businesses and people continue to make donations the Gleaners may have a regular giveaway every third Thursday, Stewart said.
When people who have run out of money, food and assistance show up at the Clear Lake Gleaners, Stewart said he keeps an emergency food cupboard to help them.
Stewart said the Gleaners have plenty of volunteers but can always use money donations. People can mail checks made out to the Clear Lake Gleaners at P.O. Box 266 in Finley, CA 95435.
Why does Steward spend about 50 hours a week with the Gleaners helping to feed Lake County residents?
“I”m just being a good Samaritan,” he said.
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
