Lakeport >> The warm smiles of volunteers greet every person who enters the former Sears space, now turned into a donation distribution center for Valley Fire survivors.
Styled like a store, survivors can walk down the aisles of women’s, men’s and children’s clothing; toiletries; food; water; bedding and more. Volunteers guide them and help pick out items which they can take for free.
“This place is such a blessing,” volunteer Chestene Dean of Redding said. “They are taking little shopping carts so they can go around and get the food and the clothing that they need.”
The retail space in the Willow Tree Plaza was donated by Albertson’s and Safeway, said Steve Cantu, manager of the center operated by Adventist Community Services Special Disaster Response, a humanitarian agency of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Originally a warehouse, Cantu said they decided transform it into a distribution location last week. With donated racks and volunteers putting in work, they were able to open shop by Monday.
About 25 families walked in and left with 216 pounds of just food the first day. That number more than doubled on Tuesday at 486 pounds.
“If we keep increasing like that, that’s just more people we are able to help,” Cantu said.
The donated items are coming in from the massive distribution hub at the Work Right building in Lakeport. Cantu said when they need to stock up, they can fill out a request form and a delivery will be assembled. Volunteers at the Adventist distribution center then sort and organize items.
“There’s always something to do, always something to organize,” volunteer Sonia Chamberlain said, who’s been focusing her efforts sorting food.
Hours for the first week of operations through Thursday were slated to be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Although volunteers didn’t quite stick to that Tuesday when they decided to stay open an extra hour after more families came in.
The center will be open Sunday through Thursday and Cantu hopes to keep the same hours, but that’s all just contingent on the number of volunteers available. About five or six are needed to run the operation smoothly.
“I definitely don’t want to burn out the volunteers that we do have,” Cantu said. Even one day a week for an hour or two helps.
“A few of those put together makes for a really wonderful week,” he said.
To volunteer, contact Cantu at (707) 430-1560 or walk into the distribution center, located at 857 11th St. in Lakeport.
