Borrego Sun - Since 1949

On April 20, no less than 165 families showed up at each of the three Food Banks in Borrego Springs to receive free bags of produce, dry goods and in some cases protein. (To clarify, Food Bank is at St. Barnabas; Feeding San Diego is at St. Richards and Borrego High School). Participants were eager, appreciative and patient as they waited in long lines that wrapped around corners and down the street. Some of these folks were regular Food Bank/Feeding S.D. participants but surprisingly, many were new people facing challenges since the outbreak of COVID-19 and job losses. Some waited in line for over an hour to hear that there was no more food. In the usual Borrego style of acceptance and understanding, they simply smiled and said they would come a little earlier next time.

Lorenz Hilkes, a volunteer extraordinaire who helps coordinate the high school Feeding S.D. Program, estimates that his group received around 4,000 lbs of food that had to be bagged. Volunteers wearing protective gear, feverishly packed bags of food for over an hour prior to the parade of cars driving through to pick up their allotment. This same scene was repeated at two other sites the same morning: St. Barnabas and St. Richards.

In true Borrego style, kindness flowed from every corner of our village. De Anza surprised folks at the high school program with an added sack of high quality food donated by its residents. Dozens of volunteers, many of whom are recipients of the food themselves, showed up to bag and distribute the food, even as temperatures began to rise. Borrego Springs residents are grateful for such support and generosity, especially in this time of financial hardship for many.

The next Feeding San Diego Programs will be on Monday's, May 4 and May 18 at St. Richards (10:30 a.m.) and Borrego Springs High School (11:30 a.m.). Food Bank will be May 18 at St. Barnabas at 1 p.m. These programs are open to everyone.