Cayucos Rotary has donated $5,000 to support ‘Harvest Bag’ operated by Cayucos Community Church. The program is a collaboration with San Luis Obispo Food Bank to provide bags of groceries and produce to local families in need from Mondays to Fridays. For the past 10 years, Cayucos Community Church has been providing bags of food to families in need. Each bag, estimated to be worth about $20 in food, contains milk, bread, eggs, tuna, butter, peanut jelly, macaroni and cheese, and produce like tomatoes, potatoes and onion etc.
Terry Bettenton, church member who's been helping with the program over the years stated "Today is a good day as each household is getting a bag of groceries, a bag of produce and a bag of a frozen chicken. These came from the Food Bank today". A few weeks ago, Terry shared they were handing out about 35 bags a day. With more filing for unemployment, more families are in need. The number of families looking for food has been growing daily from 35 to 44, 46 and 48 today. Terry expected the number to increase.
Cayucos Community Church hands these bags of food in good faith, mostly to seniors in the community, and many single women with children. Some are young, like a mother of three who visits regularly. The program is promoted through word of mouth, and covers Cayucos residents and others who work in Cayucos, like the employees of the motel across the street from the church.
The church collaborates with San Luis Obispo Food Bank who sends pre-packed bags of food every 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, while the Church offers its own bags of food every 1st, 3rd and some 5th Wednesdays. The church has a discounted arrangement with Spencers Market to pack their own bags. In addition to Cayucos Rotary, the program is supported by local individuals, Cayucos Lions and Cayucos Lioness. Donations via checks are accepted by the Church. To donate, visit www.CayucosChurch.org. To collaborate with Cayucos Rotary on this project, visit www.CayucosRotary.org.