Blessings upon blessings
Grocery Outlet presents check to St. Anne’s Food Pantry
Wednesday was a very special day for St. Anne’s Food Pantry. Thanks to the Porterville Grocery Outlet, the food pantry was the recipient for a check worth over $6,000. The money was raised through Grocery Outlet’s Independence from Hunger Food Drive campaign that began in July.
On Wednesday morning, a handful of local leaders gathered inside Grocery Outlet to celebrate the accomplishment, and Grocery Outlet owner Darwin Lara was excited to present the large check to the food pantry.
“What a special day,” said Lara. “First, thank you so much for coming to celebrate with us this great success for our Independence from Hunger [Food Drive]. We are giving the check to St. Anne’s, and we have met our goal! This was done because of the amazing community of Porterville. Porterville... thank you, thank you so much. Without you it absolutely was not possible.”
Lara’s wife, Lizbeth Lara, was also in attendance and was proud to be able to give back to her community.
“It is an honor to work with St. Anne’s pantry,” said Lizbeth. “This is such a great opportunity to give back to the community and it is such a
blessing that St. Anne’s has the food pantry. We may not see how many people go to the food pantry, so for us it is an honor to know that people can go and grab a bag of food. Being able to contribute to the food pantry, it’s a good feeling, so thank you.”
In addition to Darwin and Lizbeth Lara, whose daughter, Noemi Lara, helped present the check,
other dignitaries from the city were also there to celebrate wit hst. Anne;s Food Pantry and grocery Outlet. Porterville Mayor Martha Flores was ecstatic to be able to participate in the ceremony.
“It is truly a blessing to be here,” said Flores. “I was here for the kickoff and unbeknownst as to how much this community has continued to come together to continue toward the resiliency of the City of Porterville. I am excited.”
The Lara’s wanted to take a moment to give an extra special thank you to Julie Allen, who donated $1,000 to the food drive.
“It was my great pleasure and privilege to be able to contribute to this particular effort,” said Allen. “I am thrilled that St. Anne’s Food Pantry is doing a great job serving everybody who needs food in the city. This is so important during this time of the pandemic. This is absolutely special.”
George Martinez, from the local branch of the Knights of Columbus and part of the staff at St. Anne’s food pantry, couldn’t thank Grocery Outlet and the Lara family enough. He shared that the food pantry has served 804 families in July alone, a new record for the food pantry.
“I just want to thank Grocery Outlet for this terrific opportunity that we have had these past couple of years, and without this we wouldn’t have made it through the summer,” said Martinez. “Our numbers are up because of the pandemic, but people need food and we want to help everyone. That’s why we’re there.”
Last year, Grocery Outlet raised $5,000 through food and cash donations for St. Anne’s food pantry. This year, their goal was to raise $6,000 for the food pantry, which they surpassed, presenting Martinez with a check for $6,172. The Grocery Outlet corporate office has made a promise that they will match up to $1 million in donations that were raised up until the end of July.
“We are just blessed and so proud of this community,” said Lara. “Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your family, and allowing us to be part of this amazing community. We are grateful, blessed and humbled to be here everyday.”