Grocery Outlet again spearheading food drive
All donations will go to PACC
For the second year in a row, the Porterville Area Coordinating Council (PACC) will benefit thanks to the Grocery Outlet company and local Grocery Outlet owners Darwin and Lizbeth Lara.
The second annual Grocery Outlet Independence from Hunger food drive kicks off Saturday and runs the entire month of July. The goal is to collect $10,000 in cash and food to help feed the needy in the Porterville area.
“This is our passion,” said Darwin Lara of the effort to help those less fortunate. Last year’s drive netted nearly $3,000 in cash donations and about two bins of food.
“We're looking forward to Saturday,” added Elva Beltran who along with her family runs PACC which has been helping families for approximately 30 years. She said the need is just as great as last year.
“It's not changed a lot. We are seeing a lot of single mothers with children who are homeless,” she said.
Last year, the food was distributed to families both homeless or just in need, while the money raised was used to purchase food for the annual PACC Christmas Food Drive.
The Laras have been very supportive of PACC and other causes in town, but this food drive has the support of the Grocery Outlet chain. For every donation of $5 or more, a person will receive a coupon good for $5. Those coupons collected the first two weeks of the drive can be redeemed at Grocery Outlet the last two weeks of July and the coupons collected the final two weeks of July will be redeemed the first two weeks of August.
“When a customer donates $5 or above, they'll get a coupon worth $5,” said Lara. Beltran said the slogan is, “Give $5 and Get $5.”
The store at the corner of Olive Avenue and D Street has been very supportive of PACC and other causes, but the month-long food drive is its signature event. Lara hopes to reach a goal of $10,000.
“If we get $8,500, I'll make up the difference to get to $10,000,” he pledged.
“We're going for ten grand (dollars),” added Beltran, who praised the efforts of the Laras who have donated on nearly a weekly basis to PACC.
People donating will also be entered into the weekly and later grand prize drawing. Lara said they hope to raffle off a couple of a prizes a week, and a trip to Cancun, Mexico for four and a large-screen TV will be the grand finale prizes to be raffled off on July 29 when a health fair at the store will conclude the food drive. A raffle ticket is given to anyone who donates a dollar or more.
PACC will also accept donations and people can get a ticket for the raffle by donating there, but only the store is able to hand out the coupons.
Lara said the store has special bags the food drive customers can use to place non-perishable food items inside. It is suggested people donate items such as beans, rice, flour and other staples.
“Any donation of food,” said Lara, “we will take whether they buy it here or not.”