The Fresh Rescue: Volunteers of Multiple Faiths Serve Together

The Community Resource Center in Encinitas, California, directed by the Interfaith Shelter Network of Southern California, has been bagging up fresh produce, cheese, meat and a variety of quality commodities to help families and individuals get hot meals back on their tables.

The Community Resource Center in Encinitas, California, directed by the Interfaith Shelter Network of Southern California, has been bagging up fresh produce, cheese, meat and a variety of quality commodities to help families and individuals get hot meals back on their tables.

The Fresh Rescue, or “the pantry” as some call it, is one of the many programs run from the Resource Center, which is owned by the Interfaith Shelter Network. Once a week, volunteers from the Del Mar Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints, Christ’s Presbyterian in Carlsbad, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and Seacoast Community Church come to the pantry and help residents of the San Diego area.

The Interfaith Shelter Network has multiple programs to assist the less fortunate and has been running for many years. The pantry, which opened in July 2009, is the network’s newest program.

“Some of the programs provided by the Interfaith Shelter Network are a battered women’s shelter, fresh rescue center and a bread room,” said Renee Gandola, a member of the Del Mar ward. “There are also professional counselors and people that help those that come in to the resource center find jobs and apartments.”

Gandola started volunteering when the pantry opened, along with Norma Farrow and Angie Moeller, also members of the Del Mar Stake, who were serving with Gandola on the stake public affairs committee.

Gandola explains that an adult from each of the families served by the Interfaith Shelter Network meets once a week with a counselor at the resource center who accesses their needs in foods and supplies. Then the counselor sets an appointment for the family or individual to pick up the groceries and items from the Fresh Rescue program.

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“The Fresh Rescue program is like a bonus,” Gandola said. “The individuals and families that want the food and items must visit with a counselor first to set plans and goals to improve their lives, and then they can come to us.”

Gandola says that the pantry is not just handing out food to people—it’s also giving them a hand up to better their lives and keep moving forward.

“We give people who have just lost jobs, lost a home, have an unexpected illness or just need a hot meal for the night, an opportunity for those things, but additional help to get back on their feet again,” Gandola said.

The pantry is open three times a week, four hours each day. People can visit with a councilor on weekdays and the bread room is available everyday. “We help four families every fifteen minutes and about thirty to forty families a day,” Gandola said.

The pantry has provided the opportunity for the Del Mar stake to work with members of different faiths and this has made a positive impact on these women. “A lot of the people we work with that are of different faiths have never interacted with Mormons before,” said Norma Farrow, a member of the La Costa Ward. “Other people get to see who Mormons really are and the we care too.”

Farrow relates a story about a less active sister in her ward who volunteered to give service at the pantry and brought her grandsons, who were being raised in the Catholic Church. Farrow was amazed and how much the boys loved giving service and how religion wasn’t even mentioned. “It’s been really fun because we are all working together for the same cause,” she said.

Angie Moeller of the Olivenhain Ward expressed feelings of gratitude to be able to serve with members of other faiths. “Being around different faiths is helping us understand each other more—not that we are preaching to each other, but that we are learning to work together and serve,” she said. “I have built a level of trust and admiration to members of other faiths and I accept them for their good work.”

Along with serving with others of different faiths, these women have also found joy and strength in serving those in need. “It’s really fulfilling giving service at the pantry,” Farrow said. “Even though you on your feet the whole time and running around, it’s satisfying to leave there and know that you have helped.”

Moeller believes that giving to those more in needs makes you realize just how much you have. “If you ever thought you had a problem, and then you see the people that come in for help and you get to know them and their situations, you realize just how blessed you are.”

Watching people grow and succeed is part of the reason why Gandola serves. “I am able to witness charity in action from both the volunteers and clients and I get to witness the transition from people being lonely and suffering to a state of being self sustaining and joyous because they are back on their feet.”

The Fresh Rescue is continuing to expand by volunteers who serve those in need and work together despite of differences. For more information, visit www.interfaithshelter.org. Donations of food and items are always welcome.