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Rickie looks to squash for good his battle with drinking
After Rickie finished high school in Lompoc and got his music degree from community college, he married, and the couple moved to New Orleans. Rickie’s wife was earning her law degree and he got a job at Tulane. The couple had three kids. But in 1998, Rickie and his wife divorced. “Going through that, it…
Robert craves stability after jail time and ‘losing everything’
When Robert’s parents divorced when he was 16, things started to change for the teenager. Robert had enjoyed an uneventful childhood, growing up in Santa Barbara, and then Lompoc, with his parents and two little sisters. His dad was in construction and his mom was a secretary. But after the divorce, Robert came back to…
Bringing the farm to our community, and helping nonprofits in the process
Coldwater Farm Hub, a local food hub and farm box small business run by Ashley and Steve Marlowe, have announced to their customers that they will be selling pomegranates with all proceeds going to the Valley Food Bank. They launched their small business, partnering with Los Angeles farmers market vendors and other small businesses, at the…
Pantry recipient shares gratitude for food blessing
Recently, a woman visited one of the Valley Food Bank’s pantries at Freedom Church in Chatsworth. She wanted to share her appreciation for the blessing that the food has been in her life: “Thank you Freedom Church for the Pantry,” she said. “My family has had an extremely hard time making ends meet during COVID.…
Dallas focuses on healing from traumas, growing spiritually
Dallas’ parents made only rare appearances in his childhood. He grew up in Oklahoma, primarily with his grandparents, until his grandfather died of a heart attack. Dallas was just 13. “I gave him CPR, but I couldn’t resuscitate him,” he said. “Shortly after, my grandma overdosed. I got her to the hospital. Two to three…
Home Depot water delivery blesses Food Bank
One of the most gratifying calls to receive is notification that the Valley Food Bank will be the recipient of a grant award. Our friends at the San Fernando Home Depot selected us to receive an award from the Home Depot Foundation. Not in need of any particular building supplies, Store Manager Kimberly Cherney, suggested…
Pastor reflects on life change, commitment to giving
My name is Christopher Anthony Trujillo and I am a pastor at Freedom Church in Chatsworth. I lead our Recovery Ministry as well as our Community Outreach Ministry. My testimony is one that I share gratefully because I know without Freedom Church, I wouldn’t be who I am today. They welcomed me into their church…
Goodbye 2020, bring on 2021
All of us can share stories of this past year: fires, COVID-19, elections, social distancing, home schooling and on and on. What we all can embrace is hope for a great new year. Yes, we have had a number of challenges, some more than others. In the midst of many hardships, what we do know…
ROTARIANS DELIVER MUCH-NEEDED RESOURCES, SHOW THEIR COMMITMENT
It’s Monday morning and our Rotarian friends from Studio City-Sherman Oaks arrive at the Valley Food Bank with two vehicles filled with the food resources we had been needing. I quickly did the Four-Way test (part of the Rotarian moral code): Is it true? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and…
After a challenging and rewarding year, we look forward
It is a privilege to be reaching out to you today as the Valley Food Bank director. While we navigated one of the most unpredictable and challenging years in our history I am so humbled to be surrounded by such a diverse and passionate organization. One with such a rich legacy of serving our community…
Veronica has felt wounds open and heal at Lighthouse
Veronica was born in Mexico, but was brought to the United States when she was 8 months old. She was raised in Los Angeles until she was 11, when her family moved to Thousand Oaks. She grew up with two younger brothers and parents who were “hard working, striving to give us a better life…
Ide commits to recovery and restoration with her daughters
Ide’s parents were well respected leaders in Piru, where the family lived, so when they split, it was a surprise to many. “I was 8 when my mom left,” Ide said. “It was humiliating. She took off to the San Fernando Valley. There were long periods of time where I didn’t see her at all.”…
