Media Corner

Los Angeles Wave
December 4, 2008

Rotary Club helps distribute food baskets

By Anne Donofrio-Holter, Special to The Wave

Members of the Montebello Rotary and Lions clubs and other civic organizations and volunteers prepare food baskets which were distributed to needy Montebello residents last week prior to Thanksgiving.

MONTEBELLO - For 10 years the Montebello Rotary Club, along with other local service organizations, have joined forces to make Thanksgiving a bit brighter for the needy in the area.

Meeting a few days before the holiday, club members packed 150 boxes which they filled with turkey, vegetables, fruit, desserts and all the trimmings to be distributed to those less fortunate.

"With so many organizations donating during the Christmas season, we wanted to make sure the needy in our community were remembered at Thanksgiving as well," said Pete Adriance, who spearheaded the Rotary Club’s participation in the program. "Many people do not realize how many families in our community are borderline economically."

The families were screened through the Head Start program with a few selected by club members who were aware of families in need. Each box contained enough food for several meals.

Upon delivery, those receiving the boxes greeted club members with heartfelt appreciation.

"My husband recently lost his job and this donation means our family will have a nice Thanksgiving dinner after all," said one recipient.

"This is truly a blessing," said another. "Thank you so much for remembering us this Thanksgiving."

In addition to monetary donations made by the Montebello Rotary Club and other participating organizations, donations to fill the boxes were received from State Sen. Ron Calderon’s office, Heart of Compassion Ministries, the Central Basin Municipal Water District, Coast Produce, Royal Paper Box Company, Unified Grocers, Arry’s, Interstate Brands and Bimbo Bakery along with canned goods donated by patients of local chiropractor Charina Holmes.

"Programs such as this exemplifies what this season and Rotary is all about," said Rotary President Ted Jones. "Rotary is pleased to join with other local service club members in giving back to the community and helping those less fortunate."