WINNEMUCCA — In an effort to keep the shelves stocked at the Winnemucca Food Bank, a food drive is being held on Saturday (Feb. 6) at Khoury’s from noon – 3 p.m.  The event is being coordinated by the participants from the 6^th Judicial District Court -Youth and Family Services/Youth Evening Reporting Center.

The Food Bank is most in need of:  canned fruit, beans ‘n franks, canned soup meals, pasta, powdered mild, or any shelf-stable foods.

The Food Bank could also use:  single-use or individual packets of laundry detergent, toothpaste, tooth brushes, and body soap.

Sheaden Crabtree, executive director of the Winnemucca Food Bank, said the organization has handed out 8,000 pounds of food per month since summer of last year.  The organization serves roughly 400-500 people every month.

Not only is unemployment high, but the numbers do not reflect the underemployed; that is, those folks who work but do not make enough money to pay all of their expenses and buy food.

The Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts collected approximately 4,000 pounds of food over the holidays.  Now that the holidays are over, the Food Bank could use some assistance restocking the shelves.

The Winnemucca Food Bank is a United Way of the Great Basin agency.

The food drive is being organized by the 6^th Judicial District – Youth and Family Services Youth Evening Reporting Center.

Tillary Williams explained young people participate in the Youth Evening Reporting Center during six-week sessions where they learn important life skills and are mentored by community leaders and teachers.

One important aspect of the program is team work.  To that end, the young people participate in the organization of a community-service event.  The most current participants considered several options before deciding to organize the food drive.  “We get these kids working together to succeed,” Williams said.

Williams said this aspect of the session is important because many of  the participants do not otherwise participate in sports or clubs that would have them interacting with the community.