By Mary O’KEEFE

The Bailey Center Food Bank in Tujunga has a never-ending focus on getting enough food to feed those in need. As CVW has written in the past, the food bank has gone from serving around 300 to over 1,000 people during the pandemic and continues to do so. The need is great and thankfully the volunteers at the Center have found strong partnerships and supporters in the surrounding communities.

Local school organizations like Crescenta Valley High School’s 589 Falkon robotics and Academy of Science and Medicine, along with non-profit organizations like Crescenta Valley Lions Club, make a dedicated effort in raising donations for the food bank.

Recently the volunteers at Bailey Center were contacted by a young girl who had a food donation for the Center that was very personal.

        “I had my birthday and a lot of friends were coming over,” said Aliana Taylor Aguilera, a seventh grader at Flintridge Prep.

She decided to use her birthday party as a “food raiser” and asked all of her friends to bring non-perishable food items instead of presents.

        “My family donates to Bailey Center on a regular basis and when I was in Girl Scouts we donated [to the Center],” she said.

Taylor Aguilera added she knew there was always a need for donations and wanted to do what she could. She also knew that some who receive help from the Bailey Center are homeless while others just need assistance with food.

        “I think it helps people who need [to use] their money for [rent],” she said of those who receive food from the Center.

Taylor Aguilera said she saw stories about all the things people can do to help others but wanted people to know that sometimes it is just as simple as donating one thing or having one event.

She ended up donating 16 bags of food that came from her birthday party.

“I will continue to support [the Bailey Center] 100%,” she said.

Anyone who can and would like to donate can do so by bringing donations to the Bailey Center, which is supported by the Tujunga 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.