Central Coast News KION/KCBAFood Bank for Monterey County Helping Hundreds in Salinas

Food Bank for Monterey County Helping Hundreds in Salinas

SALINAS, Calif--

The Food Bank for Monterey County helps thousands of people throughout the county.  On Thursday, they held a distribution site at Saint Mary of the Nativity Church in Salinas and helped nearly 800 families.

Janet May is a single mother and she said taking care of three kids is a struggle.

"A couple of times I fed my kids and not me," she said.  "I made sure they ate."

May said without help from the Food Bank for Monterey County, she wouldn't be able to feed her family.

"It kind of helps me out a little bit.  The end of the month especially when I'm out of food and I have to stretch my money.  I try to get what I can."

May is one of the hundreds of families getting emergency food assistance, Thursday alone.  The food bank holds distribution sites across the county, and said this one in Salinas is one of its biggest.

"This program helps families who don't have enough in their household budget to afford food," said Lee Hulquist, Programs Manager, Food Bank for Monterey County.  "They have other bills that they need to pay and food sometimes slides off the edge and they don't have enough to afford the basic necessities."

Each family received a bag of staples including beans, rice and peanut butter.  Families also received fresh produce including potatoes, tomatoes and eggs.

"The bags of food that we provide are supplemental," said Hulquist.  "It's not going to last any family more than a few days but it is critical because the money they have is going to go towards rent, healthcare, filling their prescriptions, getting clothes for their children."

May said she's so thankful for the support she gets from the food bank, she's now giving back by becoming a volunteer.

"It makes me feel good," she said.  "It really does make me feel good."

For more information, check out the Food Bank for Monterey County's website at food4hungry.org.