James Tesone: Pedrozo’s discretionary money helps feed the hungry
Re “New supervisor rocks the boat” (Page A1, Jan. 15): I disagree with Supervisor Darron McDaniel’s statement that discretionary funds should be used for brick-and-mortar instead of nonprofits. I think further investigation might change his mind. I am director of Bible Christian Church Nineveh Outreach. We received $5,000 this year to feed the needy in Planada and Le Grand. The program could not have gotten off the ground six years ago without Supervisor John Pedrozo’s support. Discretionary funds allow the supervisors to do big things with small investments. Some of the program’s $5,000 helps:
▪ Feed 300 families per month in Planada and Le Grand
▪ Provide emergency pantries and an insulated warehouse
▪ Buy, pick up and deliver 80,000 plus pounds of rice from Chico per year
▪ Buy, pick up and deliver over 100,000 pounds of produce from Salinas per year
▪ Provide access to two box trucks and a semi-truck
Our program benefits the Merced County Food Bank and all of the nonprofits. We do not compete with each other; we cooperate. The county could not afford the salaries, buildings, trucks or food a nonprofit provides without a huge capital outlay.
James Tesone, Le Grand
This story was originally published January 21, 2015 at 11:21 AM with the headline "James Tesone: Pedrozo’s discretionary money helps feed the hungry."