KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
The Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry will help those less fortunate in the Santa Clarita Valley during the holiday season with its “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Holiday” program. The goal of the program is to provide grocery store gift cards worth $10 per family member so that those families in need can purchase the food necessary for a traditional holiday meal. These gift cards will be distributed to all qualifying families that use the SCV Food Pantry to supplement their food budgets. “We are very excited to introduce “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Holiday” as a new
program for distributing food to our neighbors in need this holiday season. The Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry distributes supplemental food to over 3400 active clients—half of whom are children.” says Belinda Crawford, Executive Director of the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry. “This program will help us to meet the commitment of the Food Pantry that ‘no child in the Santa Clarita Valley should go to bed hungry.’” added Crawford.
“We can accept gift cards at any time. Either mail them or drop them off at the Food Pantry and we will distribute them to our clients.” said Jan Fear, Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Pantry.
The “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Holiday” Program providing holiday food for needy families is being introduced in conjunction with the community-wide Holiday Storefront/Toy Drive hosted by the Sheriff’s Department. This collaborative effort with the Sheriff’s Department, the SCV Food Pantry, Single Mother’s Outreach, the SCV Community Center, and the Domestic Violence Center will reach many more children this Holiday Season than we could have independently” says Crawford. “We are delighted to partner with these wonderful organizations to see that ‘Santa and the spirit of the Holidays’ reaches as many children in the Santa Clarita Valley as possible, and with our ‘Hunger Doesn’t Take a Holiday’ program the SCV Food Pantry will be able to concentrate on filling those empty tummies.” added Crawford. Toy distribution for all needy families will take place at the old Chamber of Commerce building. The SCV Sheriff’s will initiate a toy drive and volunteers from the organizations involved will help distribute the toys during the holiday season, and the food gift cards will be distributed at the SCV Food Pantry by Pantry volunteers.
The Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry was established in 1986 by a small group of community volunteers. The Pantry uses food donations from the community to provide supplemental food on a short-term basis to qualified local residents. Approximately 60 volunteers work together to sort food, prepare bags, and assist clients. The commitment of the Food Pantry is that “no child in the Santa Clarita Valley should go to bed hungry.”
For information about food donations or volunteering at the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, contact Belinda Crawford, Executive Director at the Food Pantry, at 661-255-9078.
