By MAGGIE MCMURRAY
Moapa Valley Progress
While food was a central part to any Superbowl celebration last weekend, this time of year many food banks are struggling to refill their shelves after the holiday season. This is true of even Moapa Valley’s own Cappalappa Family Resource Center (CFRC).
Luckily, the local Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) organization is helping to make sure shelves are restocked and local families stay fed. The organization held a food drive last weekend to assist in that effort.
The local organization has held a food drive on the Saturday before the Superbowl every year for the past several years to cash in on public goodwill as people shop for their Superbowl parties. On Saturday the group obtained permission from Lin’s Marketplace to set up outside their doors and accept donations from local shoppers to go directly to the shelves of CFRC.
“We’re happy that they’re here,” said Store Manager Darin Leach. “We’re always supportive of groups and people donating to Cappalappa to help feed local families in need.”
Local YF&R member and food drive organizer Ashley Bunker explained the group’s reasoning. “We try to have one big food drive a year and this is it,” Bunker said. “So many people help out around the holidays, which is great. Now the holidays are over, though, and people still need to eat. So we are trying to help restock food pantry shelves.”
The plan seemed to work for the group as they were able to fill cart after cart with donated food from very generous shoppers. Several people came out of the store with the one thing they had gone in after for them, but bags and bags of food to donate for others. It was a great example of one community taking care of its own.
YF&R volunteer Dan Bevan was there with three of his young kids. The kids took turns handing out prepared flyers that listed the foods Cappalappa most needs to help give buyers a guideline of what items to donate.
“This is a great project and I’m glad I could come out and help,” Bevan said. “I like the opportunity for my kids to serve alongside me while seeing the good in the great people of our community at the same time. It’s a chance for my family to give back to a great cause.”
Bevan went on to explain why a food drive is a perfect activity for the YF&R organization. “Being a farmer or a rancher is all about providing food so it only makes sense we’re doing a food drive,” he said.
Logandale resident Jacque Bush took the time to stop and support the cause because she has seen how food can make a difference in people’s lives. “I was a school nurse for a long time and I’ve seen hungry children,” she said. “So often we get requests by mail for donations for this or that and we send off checks without ever seeing what happens. This food drive, however, impacts our very own community in a positive way. We know exactly where our help is going.”
Many locals donated, as well as visitors to the area. Monica Liguari, a volunteer for Nevada State Parks, took the time to stop by and donate. “I feel it is better to give than to receive,” Liguari said. “There are lots of people struggling in the world and it makes sense to help out. Giving back always makes you feel good.”
In addition to the donated food, several cash donations were used to purchase gift cards to Lin’s for Cappalappa to distribute as needed. Also, as part of the Clark County Farm Bureau, YF&R receives a portion of the “Harvest For All” donations made by Farm Bureau members, which they use to make cash donations to food banks, including Three Square of Las Vegas, which donates food to local families twice every month.
The day ended on a positive note as the group was able to take an entire pickup bed full of food to Cappalappa to go directly on their shelves.
YF&R president Spencer Bunker was pleased with the amount of food collected. “We gathered a whole truckload of food again this year, which makes it time very well spent,” he said. “We are so grateful to the generous community and are touched by the willingness of people to give of themselves to help others.”
