- Video shows Rural Outreach Food Distribution Event in Arvin.
- This event is organized by Catholic Charities is a faith-based non-profit that is committed to helping the communities that are most in need.
- Church volunteers distributed more than 200 holiday boxes full of food items to families in Arvin.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Each month, Catholic Charities distributes food items to more than 200 families living in rural communities.
Catholic Charities is a faith-based non-profit that is committed to helping the communities that are most in need. Site Director Carlos Mayorga says at least 15 hundred families wait in line during their Rural Outreach Food Distribution Event in Arvin.
"The Arvin community, at this time of the year that farm workers stop working, there's no work, so there's the need, there's the need there," said Mayorga.
Families that attended the event on Friday received a "holiday box" full of ingredients necessary for a traditional holiday meal.
"[The holiday box] includes stuffing, macaroni and cheese, rice, gravy—anything that has to do with a holiday meal, including chicken," said Mayorga.
According to the Site Director, Catholic Charities is limited on staff, so they depend on volunteers to carry out the food distribution events.
Teodulo Medrano has been a volunteer for the St. Thomas The Apostle Church in Arvin for 35 years. "It fills me with joy to be able to serve the Arvin and Lamont community and Bakersfield," said Medrano.
Though he now lives in Bakersfield, Medrano says he was an Arvin resident for several years and often comes back to serve the church and spend time with friends and family."I like serving this area because I've always been involved with the church and the community for different events."
In addition to volunteers, Mayorga says Catholic Charities also depends on private sectors, farmers, and food banks to obtain the food items that are distributed at the events.
"We always welcome them. Any type of produce that they would like to help our families in need, we always welcome them. This is the place that we distribute the food right there and then, no more than two days, it's in our walk-in, it's out in the community," Mayorga stated.
Donations are welcome anytime and can be made by visiting their website, www.CCDOF.com.
In addition to Arvin, Catholic Charities also host their food distribution event in Delano, Shafter, and Buttonwillow.
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