Community Corner

Increased Need Prompts Call for Emergency Food Drives

Inland Valley Hope Partners, which manages a network of food banks and pantries in the Inland Empire, is calling on partner agencies and individuals to donate to help the organization meet a growing need.

Increasing hunger in the Inland Empire has placed stronger demand on food banks managed by Inland Valley Hope Partners, according to the organization's faith relations associate, Amy Modglin.

The organization, which serves Diamond Bar and Walnut, manages pantries in San Dimas, Pomona, Claremont and Ontario. Modglin said the Ontario food bank has seen nearly 2,000 more clients this Feburary than in Feburary of 2010.

As a result of the increased need, the organization is helping partner organizations to put together emergency food drives to solicit monetary and in-kind donations of food.

Find out what's happening in Diamond Bar-Walnutwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As the summer nears, Modglin said the increased need could become more dire as many children who receive free and reduced priced lunches at school are out of session.

"Due to the rise in clients and financial cuts," Modglin said, "we are really depending on food and monetary donations from the community to help serve people in need."

Find out what's happening in Diamond Bar-Walnutwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The organization is seeking donations of canned foods, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter (in plastic containers), canned meats, and dried beans.

IVHP is also putting forth efforts to expand a gleaning program to supply its pantries with fresh fruits and vegetables.

The program takes a team of volunteers to area homes to pick donated fruits and vegetables from gardens, which are taken to pantries in San Dimas, Ontario, Claremont, and Pomona.

Volunteer coordinator Ronald Ortizo said at a January meeting that the gleaning program aims to take advantage of an untapped resource while also improving nutritional value of foods available at the pantry.

For more information about donations, contact Amy Modglin at AmyM@InlandValleyHopePartners.org or by phone at (909) 622-3806, ext. 242.

For more information about, contact volunteer coordinator Ronald Ortizo at vcoordinator@hope-partners.com or at (909) 622-3806, ext. 223.


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