CLEARLAKE >> As North Coast Opportunities Inc. (NCO) celebrates 50 years of community action, the community action agency announced it is closing its Clearlake Food Pantry indefinitely on Thursday, April 26. It’s Friday Produce Pantry is said to continue, however.
Members of the community had noticed over recent weeks the organization was no longer present at its Lakeshore Drive location in Clearlake, where it had served hundreds of Lake County residents for several years.
Earlier in April, Tammy Alaskszay, with NCO, confirmed the agency had to abandon the building but did not have a place to relocate yet.
“We are looking for office space and will be closing the pantry at this time,” Alaskszay explained.
This week, NCO Executive Director Patty Bruder discussed the reason for the shutdown. She said:
“Since 2018, we have seen a 40 percent decrease at the Clearlake Food Pantry whereas the numbers at the FPP have increased tremendously. We are devoted to NCO’s ongoing mission of meeting the needs within our community and focusing our resources on making the greatest impact. In addition, our building located at 14832 Lakeshore Avenue has sold. We’re in the process of finding a new location to house all our Lake County NCO programs.”
Bruder added that although NCO has not been able to secure a new building, they are working with the City of Clearlake to ensure a permanent location. “We remain committed to continuing the Community Wellness programs that support Lake County,” she said.
Programs with secured temporary spaces include the Food Programs, the Garden Project, and the Housing Programs. Those not impacted by the change are the Disaster Case Management, Rural Communities Childcare, and the NCO Head Start programs.
NCO, in partnership with the Redwood Empire Food Bank, had established the FPP in the summer of 2016 following the Valley Fire. The organization said the program quickly grew in popularity, serving an estimated 500 people per week in eight communities during the first four Friday’s of each month. Due to its expansion, staff found it best to close the Clearlake Food Pantry, which assisted residents on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Under its FPP program, food is dispensed per household with the help of six to 25 volunteers each Friday. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are available with a variety of goods from multiple suppliers like Amy’s Kitchen and Petaluma Poultry. Clients are always encouraged to arrive early and bring their grocery bags, wagons and carts as items are distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The first distribution each Friday is from 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. with the second distribution from 1 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.
The location schedule is as follows:
First Friday each month:
Distribution 1 — Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge
Distribution 2 — Upper Lake Park
Second Friday each month:
Distribution 1 — Lucerne Northshore Community Center
Distribution 2 — Lake County Fairgrounds
Third Friday each month:
Distribution 1 — Kelseyville Presbyterian Church
Distribution 2 — Calvary Chapel of Clearlake
Fourth Friday each month:
Distribution 1 — Lower Lake Community Center
Distribution 2 — Middletown Lions Club
There is no distribution if a fifth Friday exists.
NCO serves Lake and Mendocino Counties, as well as parts of Humboldt, Sonoma, Del Norte, and Solano Counties.
For more information about the Friday Produce Pantry and for a detailed listing of all the distribution times and sites, visit “Our Programs” at www.ncoinc.org. To volunteer or learn more contact Tammy Alakszay at 707-994-4647 or by email at talakszay@ncoinc.org.
