Nancy McCluskey-Moore
On Saturday, March 19, SaddleBrooke Community Outreach (SBCO) will again gather donations to support the Tri-Community Food Bank (TCFB) based in Mammoth. TCFB serves needy families living in Mammoth, San Manuel, Oracle, and the Dudleyville/Aravaipa area. Our community’s donations helped to provide bi-monthly emergency food boxes to 468 households (1,120 people) for the past calendar year. The food bank served 387 children and 298 seniors. The food bank serves about 295 households, with 885 individuals, on a monthly basis. All monetary contributions go directly to grocery purchases and related expenses. SBCO and TCFB are all-volunteer organizations and are IRS 501(c)(3) and AZ non-profit charitable organizations, so donations made to these organizations are tax deductible.
TCFB meets a real need in the Tri-Community area, where 20% of households live below the poverty level, and 10% are below 50% of the poverty level. It’s hard to provide food for your family, keep a roof over your head, and buy gas to drive to your job if you don’t earn enough to cover these daily living expenses.
In 2021, the food drive committee decided that for the health and safety of everyone, only monetary donations made online or with checks can be accepted. We hope in 2022 to be able to experience the friendship and community spirit associated with donations of food.