Giveaway helps Merced families have a Christmas dinner

About 500 households will have a bigger Christmas dinner thanks to a food giveaway Tuesday in Merced, where some waited as long as 10 hours for the bounty.

The line of people looking for a helping hand waited, holding their vouchers in hand, to grab a turkey, a pound of almonds and a 5-pound block of cheese during the giveaway by developer Greg Hostetler and business owner Mike Gallo.

Maryann Thornton of Merced said she got in line at 4 a.m. because she expected a large crowd. She’s unable to work because of a disability, she said, so she needs the extra help. On top of that, her purse was stolen earlier this month.

“I had no other way to have Christmas dinner,” the 48-year-old said. “I got up early, believe me. I needed a turkey.”

The bird and other food will provide a holiday meal for her and Buddy, her 20-month-old Chihuahua mix. “He likes to eat the turkey and stuff ground up,” she said.

The giveaways have been a annual tradition for more than 30 years, according to the organizers. The same number of turkeys and almonds were distributed last month for those looking for help to provide a Thanksgiving meal.

Also in line was Dion Foppiano, 45, who said it’s tough to find a job where he lives in Atwater, so receiving enough food to feed him and his girlfriend for a few days means a lot.

He said the giveaway reminded him of something his grandfather told him. “Anything that they give out free, you deserve it,” he said, recalling his grandpa’s words. “Go get it and don’t feel bad about it.”

He said he’ll take some of the food up to Stockton this week when he goes to visit his family.

Last Christmas was the first time Joseph Gallo Farms got involved with the day of giving, according to Gallo, who owns the farm with wife Lori. He said his company often gives out food, but the fairgrounds giveaway carries a bonus.

“We give cheese to a lot of charities this time of year, but in those cases you don’t get to see the people face to face,” he said. “Once you see how happy the people are to get the cheese, we feel a lot more strongly about it.”

He was more excited about it this year, he said, so he bumped last year’s 2-pound blocks up to the 5-pounders passed out this year.

While people in Merced felt the yuletide spirit Tuesday, those in Los Banos saw it on Monday, when the same amount of food went to the needy there.

Hostetler, owner of Hostetler Ranches, has said the events are in memory of his wife, who died four years ago. Hostetler has said it was her wish to carry on the tradition to help others.

He said the giveaways would not be possible without the volunteers who organize and participate in the assembly line that hands out the food. The developer said he’s been successful in Merced County, so it’s his duty to lend a hand to those in need.

He said he enjoys seeing new faces and smiles at the food distribution each year. “I never get tired of doing the right thing,” he said.

This story was originally published December 23, 2014 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Giveaway helps Merced families have a Christmas dinner."