Boxes and bags were ready and the line of vehicles stretched along Mann Avenue and down around the corner on to West G Street in Oakdale, as residents from throughout the area drove in for some free food on Monday, March 4.
It was the first Monday of the month commodity distribution, hosted at the Center for Human Services. And it’s just one of the programs offered through the Oakdale Family Resource and Counseling Center, operated through CHS.
“We got five pallets of food this time,” program manager Juleeann Fisher said on Monday morning, as a crew of staff members and volunteers was busy packing up bags and boxes of groceries. “We got eggs, a lot of meat this time, potatoes.”
Food comes from the Second Harvest Food Bank and Fisher said it changes each month; there may be some staples, but the variety of food brought in changes.
She said they try to have the items ready for distribution by about 10 a.m. the first Monday of each month and they give the food out while supplies last.
“There are no requirements,” Fisher said, noting that the CHS staff encourages residents in both Oakdale and Riverbank that need a little extra help putting food on the table to attend the commodity distribution.
“There’s no income guidelines, it’s open to everybody,” she said.
They do ask where those attending the food distribution are from, but that is just to track who is utilizing the program. They also try to have enough volunteers to serve as ‘runners’ to take the food items to those driving up in their vehicles, to keep the line moving as smoothly and quickly as possible. That way, Fisher said, they hope to not create any problems for traffic in the area during the distribution time frame.
She said this month’s allotment was larger than usual and also included lots of cereal, huge blocks of cheese, large containers of macaroni salad, and more.
“We do ask how many are in the family and if there are children,” Fisher said.
That way, she explained, they can determine how much food to provide and whether to add the more kid-friendly items.
Other programs and services at the 631 W. F St., Oakdale, location range from behavioral health counseling to utility assistance, car seat education and inspection to school readiness classes for children from two to five years of age, family advocacy, and resource and referral services.
With the looming closure of the Oak Valley Hospital’s Family Support Network, it’s anticipated that more residents will be turning to the Oakdale Family Resource and Counseling Center to help fill in the gaps in terms of needed services and support.
Fisher emphasized that they serve both the Oakdale and Riverbank communities; more information is available by calling 209-847-0420.
