KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Group Feeds Mendota Hungry After KMPH Report

Group Feeds Mendota Hungry After KMPH Report

By Clint Olivier

FRESNO - Seeing a need and filling it in the can-do spirit of the Central Valley.

People from the Santa Rosa Rancheria Elder Center brought Thanksgiving dinner and hope to families struggling with lack of water, work and soon winter.

"I've been in lines like this with my children and I know the feeling that you have when there's something there to help you, you want to get something for your kids," Barbara Jeff said.

Jeff is with the elder center.

They donated 100 turkeys, stuffing, green beans and cranberry sauce to the Westside Youth Center of Mendota, who handed it out to those in need.

Members were moved to act by the images broadcast directly into their homes.

"When we saw it on KMPH that there is such a need here in Mendota. We are from Lemoore but this place really has a hard time with their farming, 40 percent unemployment is high," Tambra Berna said.

"It's affecting us for the water and we don't working and we don't have turkey for thanksgiving," Janet Sierra said.

Janet Sierra is out of work and she's helping to feed a family of five.

Sierra says without the folks from the elder center, there would be no thanksgiving at her place.

"It's hard, when you're not working it's hard to feed our family," Sierra said.

And Barbara Jeff agrees, saying her group's effort is all about the children of the crisis.

She says the aim is to bring them happiness and a full belly.

"We think about the little ones because it's not their fault they don't have anything, so if we can help in any way to make their day brighter then that's what we're about," she said.

The elder center had already spent their budgeted cash for holiday donations, but after seeing the plight of the people of Mendota, they changed their rules to allow them to give more on an emergency basis.