Food bank thrives thanks to community support
EPCAN (Eastern Plumas Community Assistance Network), Eastern Plumas County’s food bank in Portola, is open and thriving during this challenging time and attributes that to community support.
“The EPCAN Board, volunteers, and clients want to thank our local communities in Eastern Plumas County for their generosity during these unusual times,” said board member Nancy Meyers. “The Board has been overwhelmed by the generous contributions we have received in order to provide perishables and non-perishable commodities to families who need a bit of extra help during these stressful economic times. We are well stocked and turn away no one.”
In addition to cash donations from individuals, EPCAN has received funds from local non-profit organizations and foundations. The Rotary Club of Portola has provided the food bank with a wonderful supply of purple face masks for EPCAN’s volunteers and clients who need one. The Crazy Quilters of Quincy provided masks to the Portola Family Resource Center for their staff and others who come in without one. Dolan Lexus in Reno has donated a supply of large-sized gloves for food bank volunteers.
“Thanks to several wonderful, younger volunteers the food bank has been able to maintain its regular hours and will continue to do so,” Meyers said. “Since most of our volunteers are over the age of 60, site manager Lisa Peiler has recruited her sons and several younger volunteers who have been instrumental in keeping our doors open. We could not continue our service without them!”
EPCAN is open Monday and Wednesday 9:30 to 11:30 am., and Tuesday 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Clients must first go to the Portola Family Resource Center at 165 Ridge St. to obtain an authorized “blue slip” to obtain a generous “three-day emergency food supply” from the food bank.
Several times a month (usually the first and third Fridays of the month) there is a distribution of fresh perishables as available. Clients may simply go directly to the food bank and fill out the simple “pink slip” for curbside distribution of the donated food from the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.
Feed America commodities are also distributed at the food bank on the second Tuesday of the month from 9 to 10 a.m. A complete list of distribution dates for perishables and commodities is posted outside the food bank at 120 Nevada St., Portola.
EPCAN is a non-profit organization so donations are always welcome and can be mailed to EPCAN at 120 Nevada St., Portola 96122. “We are fortunate to live in such a wonderful and generous community,” Meyers said.
