Editorial: GV food bank is something to smile about

The first thing you notice when you pull up outside the Green Valley Community Food Bank is the row of cars parked in the dirt off to the side.

Those belong to the volunteers, and they’re out of the way to make room for people coming in for a food box. And these days, there are a lot more people headed through the doors.

Food bank Manager Mary Jane Goodrick has seen people lately who you might not expect: Real estate agents, secretaries, laid-off mine and construction workers.

The bad economy hasn’t spared non-profits, either.

Green Valley’s food bank is the only one in Pima County still giving out two food boxes a month. All the rest cut back to one in January. Goodrick said Green Valley served 1,500 clients in February; about half are from Sahuarita, which is in their coverage area.

The building is modest, but the shelves are well-stocked with peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, fresh vegetables and eggs. The bulk of it flies out the door as quickly as it comes in.

The food bank has four paid staff, two of them full time. A lot of the leg work is done by 150 volunteers who are the equivalent of seven full-time employees. Goodrick is grateful.

She’s also grateful for even the smallest of donations, especially now. Most of the support comes from churches, supermarkets, social service groups like the Elks and Knights of Columbus, and private donations.

In short, we all make it work, and the efforts pay off by helping people who live here.

It’s tough to ask for anything when nearly everybody’s hurting, but most of us will never know what it’s like to walk into a food bank and register. That’s why I asked Goodrick if there was anything they needed in the face of a marked uptick in clients. She gave me two ideas.

First, they need an L-shaped desk. The current one, literally on its last legs, has been around longer than the old building, she said with a laugh. I saw it, and she’s right.

Next, they’d like to replace the old building. They have about 4,000 square feet now, but could use 10,000. They recently moved a walk-in freezer outside to free up 250 square feet, which tells you how squeezed they are. So if you have a chunk of land or a big checkbook, opportunity is crying out.

I’ve visited many food banks over the years and never fail to come away buoyed by the enthusiasm of the volunteers and staff as they help others meet life’s most basic need. Money is tight these days, sure, but they have plenty of what people really need: Hope and help.

— Dan Shearer