Eggs, pasta, potatoes, celery, apples, and buttermilk bread rolls were sorted in boxes on a table in a parking lot in Tahoe City.
More than 30 people made their way down the table, filling up bags with groceries. That was a pretty good crowd for the Tahoe City food distribution, which occurs every Monday from 3:30 to 4 p.m. at the Fairway Community Center. The Tahoe City distribution is one of five that take place every week in the North Tahoe and Truckee area. The Kings Beach distribution is the largest and often sees more than 100 people pick up groceries every week, said Karli Epstein, who does community outreach for the Family Resource Center and helps coordinate the food distributions.
‘If anybody asks for food, we always give it to them,’ Epstein said.
An effort spearheaded by Project MANA and supported by other nonprofits including the Family Resource centers in Kings Beach and Truckee, Sierra Family Services, and United For Action, the food distributions help those in need with an extra bag of groceries every week. It’s not enough to feed a whole family every meal, but it helps. The group purchases fresh produce every week and receives dairy donated by Safeway. Any donated canned food is also given out. ‘It’s really just supplemental fruits, vegetables, and grains,’ Epstein said.
The demographic at each food distribution site is a bit different, according to Epstein. Kings Beach sees mostly minorities while the distribution at the Senior Center in Truckee assists the elderly. Those who attend the Tahoe City distribution tend to be people who have had their hours cut at work. For many people in Tahoe City, this is the first time they’ve had to accept assistance, Epstein said.
As the food dwindles, Epstein is also handing out surveys. She wants to demonstrate that there is a need in Tahoe City in the hopes of opening another Family Resource Center there. ‘We’re trying to expand our services,’ Epstein said. Dental is consistently at the top of the list for people’s needs in Tahoe City, as well as emergency winter housing assistance. As soon as Epstein collects 500 surveys, she said she will go back to the board and look for funding. ‘We’re here because people need the help,’ Epstein said.
