Center serves food and health needs in drive-thru event
CALIPATRIA — More than 100 persons in need received assistance during a drive-thru health fair and food distribution event held here 10 a.m. Thursday.
The event was hosted by the Calipatria-Niland Family Resource Center, which is a program within the Calipatria Unified School District.
Assistance was available on a first-come, first-served basis. There was no additional screening process.
“We figure if they need it, they’ll get in line,” Maria Nava-Froelich, Calipatria-Niland Family Resource Center’s director-coordinator.
The line for the event stretched across the Calipatria High School campus, beginning in front of Erickson Gym, passing by the CNFRC room and ending at the east staff parking lot.
Items, such as rice, beans, onions, corn, tuna, horchata and a meal relief kit that contains about a three-day food supply, were distributed to each vehicle.
The first 100 vehicles received a bag of chicken along with the other items.
The CNFRC hosts food distributions like this monthly; however, the health fair held in conjunction with the event was the first of the year.
The pandemic has prevented the center from holding its traditional health fairs, so the decision was made to conduct a drive-thru one after the food was distributed. About 23 agencies participated, setting up under canopies in the staff parking lot. Agency representatives distributed informational pamphlets and goodies as vehicles passed by.
Among the present agencies were Imperial County Area Agency on Aging, WomanHaven, Imperial County Office of Education’s Early Care and Education Programs, Comite Civico Del Valle Inc., Sure Helpline Center, Campesinos Unidos Inc., Imperial County Behavioral Health Services, Spread the Love Charity and Ventanilla De Salud.