By Mary O’KEEFE

The Bailey Center is in desperate need of donations of food.

“We are out of canned goods,” said Loretta Cole, volunteer at the Bailey Center. It is completely out of canned goods and has a limited number of non-perishable foods.

For years the Bailey Center food bank, a service of the United Methodist Church of Tujunga, has been helping those in need.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic volunteers were serving about 300 individuals. They provided food, clothing and toiletries. They also had scheduled mobile showers for the unhoused. Then the pandemic hit and when most of society was isolating volunteers at the Bailey Center saw an increase in need. Because of the pandemic restrictions they could no longer offer its free clothing store and the mobile showers were not available. So volunteers turned their focus on food.

It seemed like overnight that Bailey Center went from serving 300 to serving 1,000 individuals. Although most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted and many people have gone back to work and a somewhat normal life, food security is still an issue. For many people, after paying for a tank of gas they have very little left for rent, utilities and food. The Bailey Center gives those struggling individuals and families a little relief by packing up grocery bags and handing them out every Wednesday; however, keeping the food shelves full has been a challenge.

Pre-pandemic Cole had seen many unhoused individuals and families that had suffered a tragedy like the loss of a head of a household or who had lost their jobs. In addition volunteers had seen seniors who simply could not make it on their Social Security benefits or pensions; however, the pandemic created an entirely new community of those in need.

When CVW was at one of the Bailey Center outreach events, a man drove up in a truck. He told the volunteer this was the first time he needed this type of help. He also said he was embarrassed to ask for help. At the time the volunteers had received a donation of flowers from Trader Joe’s. The volunteer handed him flowers. He was emotionally moved by this gesture and told the volunteer he would give them to his wife. He added he had felt like he had let his wife down and that giving her flowers would help lift her spirits.

It is this type of reaction that keeps the volunteers coming back to help.

The volunteers at the Bailey Center work tirelessly to make certain those in need get support. They do it with grace, not judgment.

In addition, Bailey Center has received support from several Crescenta Valley High School clubs like the Academy of Science and Medicine, Robotics 589 Falkons and Prom Plus Club. Local organizations, like the Lions Club, have also held donation drives. But the need is so great and donations go very fast.

They are now issuing a call to nearby communities to help fill their food shelves. The Bailey Center serves people from Tujunga to Altadena to Burbank. As the need for help grows so does the need for donations.

They are in need of non-perishable food items, including canned goods. Pasta and spaghetti sauce is always in need.

Anyone who can and would like to donate can do so by bringing donations to the Bailey Center, which is supported by the United Methodist Church, at 9901 Tujunga Canyon Blvd. in Tujunga. Volunteers are there to receive donations on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Items can also be dropped off at the CVW office, 3800 La Crescenta Ave. #206, La Crescenta/Glendale. Donors can call the office at (818) 248-2740 during regular office hours (M-F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to be directed where to drop off donations.