Fill-the-boot for the Food Pantry a record

At the Copper Fire semi-annual fill the boot, held May 26, 2012, the Copper Firefighters and the VFW veterans raised $3,028.00 for the local food pantry. "We would have a hard time keeping the doors open without their fundraising efforts on our behalf. We appreciate what they do for us so much!" Said a spokesperson from the Copperopolis Food Pantry.

 

Currently the food pantry serves between 45 -55 families per month, with greater numbers seen in the last 6 months due to the downward shift in the economy. The food pantry is set up in hopes of reaching and helping families in Copperopolis who are experiencing hardship, temporary or long-term, and need help having enough to eat.

 

 Engineer Nick Maness and Volunteer Doug Ungari

CFPD Chaplain Jim Stout and Volunteer Don Rollings

 CFPD Cadets Levi Rollings and Marshall Maness

VFW Post 12118 Veterans Richard, Robert, Ralph, Jay, and Al.

Don, David and Lorraine- Food Pantry representatives

Volunteers and Board members Ed Gouzzenne and Steve Marks, and CFPD Chaplain Father Jim Stout

Copper volunteer firefighters have been raising funds through fill-the-boot fund raisers for the food pantry for the last three years with great success. Through their efforts the pantry has been able to reach more families in need and provide more quality food products. This is the first year the VFW assisted CFPD in their efforts.

 

Throughout the year there are many drives for the food pantry with boxes set about town. According to Lorraine Crawford, food pantry director, the most recent food drive was conducted by the US Post Office and brought in 800 pounds of food. Crawford pointed out that, "Everything that was collected in Copper came to us and was distributed here." If people would like to donate monet to the food pantry checks can be made out to Copperopolis Food Pantry and mailed to POB 687, Copperopolis, CA   95228.

 

The food pantry will gladly accept non-perishable food donations at the following locations:

Church of the Ascension  90 Rock Creek Road

Micki and Larry's Sports Pub

The Copperopolis Food Pantry is an all volunteer organization, so that all money collected goes directly to the expense of running the pantry. "We use these funds for food, supplies, and PG&E. We are able to buy food at a greatly reduced rate at The Resource Connection, so every dollar donated really goes a long way. We also work with our local grocery stores  to get good rates on meat and other items. As much as possible, we spend the money locally, helping our local economy."

 

A grant from the Calaveras Community Foundation will be running out in August. The grant allowed the food pantry to supplement food distribution bags with high protein products like meat, tuna, peanut butter "and other items that are otherwise too expensive."

 

The food pantry is open the third Thursday of every month from 2-4pm at #90, Rock Creek Rd. Ste. 5. TO receive assistance a person will need to sign in, fill out a form with income data and number of family members, and "we give them their food. The statistics we collect are reported to Feeding America, but each individual's information is kept completely confidential. Almost all of our clients are low-income, but if a family is above that level and is experiencing a temporary hardship, they are allowed to receive food. I'd like to add that in addition to the food, we have some ladies who distribute donated clothing at the same time."

 

 

During the summer The Resource Connection in San Andreas has free produce days on the first Friday of the month. Anyone living in Calaveras County can go there and get free produce. This year they are also going to go to the different communities on the fourth Friday. Copperopolis is scheduled for July 27th in the parking lot in front of the library from 1-3pm. 

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