Area Food Bank Sees Increase in Demand

A church-run rescue mission that feeds hungry families in Southwest Riverside County is quickly running out of food, officials say.

"We are serving 150 (families) a week; we've had to ask them to only come every two weeks," said Dave Carreon, Rescue Mission director at Rancho Community Church in Temecula. "We are going through four pallets (of food) a week, which is huge. We are barely keeping up with the demand."

Two weeks ago, a number of people, who had waited patiently in line for more than an hour, had to be turned away with no food.

Officials with the mission say the situation has become dire.

Carreon said during the summer months, Rancho Community Church, 31300 Rancho Community Way, was serving 80 to 90 families a week.

Last winter, as many as 220 to 240 people were in need each week and now that the days are getting colder and the nights longer, the numbers on the lines are increasing once more.

This week, volunteers quietly prayed as they eyed the dwindling number of boxes sitting on a table and matched them to shivering people standing in the cold wind as dusk approached.

They just made it this week, serving the last few on line with boxes quickly packed with items left over in a warehouse truck and foodstuffs taken out of more densely packed boxes.

The also has a site in Murrieta at , 24225 Monroe Ave., which is seeing similar numbers.

Rancho Community Church hands out boxes on Thursdays and Calvary Murrieta on Wednesdays. Those registered with the organization receive a box of food that contains canned protein -- such as tuna -- along with cereal, pasta and other non-perishable food items, Carreon said.

The mission has been in need of canned meats and peanut butter for months, but now, all food is disappearing from the warehouse, volunteers say.

The organization accepts donations at its drop boxes at both of its sites.

In addition, Carreon said volunteers often stand outside local grocery stores, inviting shoppers to take an empty bag with an inventory list attached.

Carreon also works with many schools to help organize food drives. He asked Boy Scout troops, PTAs or anyone wanting to help to call him at 951-440-4066 or email dave.c@ranchocommunity.org.