Nonprofit provides 200 food baskets to Merced County families

Reyna Gallegos drove away from the Central Valley Opportunity Center in Winton on Tuesday morning with a box of food that will provide her family of seven with a Christmas meal.

More than 200 others did the same.

For the past 30 years, CVOC has provided low-income families with boxes of staple food items, such as rice and beans, fresh fruit, tortillas and chickens. This year, the nonprofit donated about $30,000 in food, said Sandra Leon-Alfaro, the deputy director of operations.

Gallegos, a 19-year-old Merced woman, said the food comes at a hard time for her family. Her parents, both farm laborers, are out of work. This is the second year the Gallegos family has turned to the organization’s annual Christmas food basket giveaway.

“It’s actually really helpful,” Gallegos said. “Especially right now because my parents are not working. It helps a lot.”

Gallegos said CVOC has done more for her family than provide food. She went through a six-month computer skills course, and the organization helped her sister get a job at a pharmacy.

“CVOC really helps, and it’s really appreciated,” she said.

Jose Gutierrez, 51, was one of the CVOC employees Tuesday helping load the food into cars. CVOC gave him a couple of days’ work until he begins his new job with the city of Livingston, which he also landed with help from CVOC.

Gutierrez said he’s thankful for the work because he’s saving up to buy his 12-year-old son, Diego, running shoes and a cross country uniform. Diego already has many medals he’s earned from running.

“Our dream is that one day he will represent our country in the Olympics,” Gutierrez said. “We will have a very good Christmas this year, my family and my runner boy.”

CVOC gathers donations for the event all year. The organization does the same thing in Stanislaus and Madera counties. News of the event gets around by word of mouth, and those who qualify call ahead of time to register to receive the food.

“This kind of thing is important throughout the year,” Leon-Alfaro said. “Christmas is a special time. It’s a time of giving. If this is something we as an agency can do, we want to do that.”

Leon-Alfaro said it’s common for people in the Central Valley to need this type of event, and that’s why it’s important.

“People appreciate it,” she said. “It’s expensive to shop for a Christmas meal.”

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Nonprofit provides 200 food baskets to Merced County families."