One client delivers rousing speech
The national recession has officially ended. However, the thousands of people depending on the assistance of the Elk Grove Food Bank Services know the struggle is far from over.
Under the leadership of Executive Director Marie Jachino and the many volunteers and community members who donate time and money, the food bank has been able to lend a helping hand to locals in need.
A dinner reception at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Elk Grove on Sept. 20 honored those volunteers and others who have allowed the food bank to be a beacon of hope for people who have suffered losses due to the economy.
In the past several months, the food bank has witnessed an exponential increase of people needing services from one or more of their five programs. The nonprofit provides groceries, support groups and referrals to housing and other programs for low-income individuals.
Glenda Simas emceed the event.
"This is a special time because we thank all the people who volunteer," Simas told the crowd.
She introduced the speakers including State Assemblymember Joan Buchanan and special guest speaker Jessica Gray.
Gray has AIDS and attested to the benefit of the Wellness Bag program, in which a volunteer delivers food to her home in south Sacramento.
She has been receiving Wellness Bags for five years and was there to speak from the heart about her experience with the program.
"Angie, the lady who delivers to me, always gives me a big hug," she said before her speech.
The hug is the best part of the delivery, she said. As a person with AIDS, Gray said people are often afraid to touch her.
"It's a really wonderful deal for me," she said of the program.
Gray performed a song and skit for the crowd in which she repeated a sentence from the Bible that provided her inspiration.
"God said all things are possible," she sang.
She received a standing ovation after her speech and skit.
Buchanan gave some statistics about the issue of poverty in California. Three million people are on food stamps and another three million are eligible.
Wal-Mart presented them with a $3,000 check- the second one they gave to the food bank this year.
Numerous local businesses and organizations were invited to the evening dinner to be thanked, including Jackson Properties, Wal-Mart, Elk Grove Adult and Community Education, and the Church of Elk Grove organization.
Excerpted from: www.egcitizen.com.
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