Food Bank Director Serves Up Hope

Finding shelter for the homeless and healthcare for vulnerable seniors are part of a day's work at Elk Grove Food Bank Services – but it wasn't always that way. For 14 years the Food Bank was crammed into two trailers, with most of the space used for food storage.

Then, Marie Jachino stepped in. Before becoming executive director of the food bank, Marie Jachino volunteered her time providing social services to clients. She founded a program called "Helping Hand" to provide a variety of resources to people utilizing the food bank.

After the food bank moved into its new business park location last year, the services offered snowballed. Today the food bank aids clients with job skills, finds shelter for the homeless and provides case management services to low-income seniors.

Jachino's passion for her work and strong connections within the community allowed the Food Bank to do much more than distribute food, said volunteer Frank Lucia, who serves as coordinator of the People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) program.

"She has really brought the function of the food bank to a higher level," Lucia said.

Caring for vulnerable seniors is Jachino's life work. A geriatric care manager for 12 years, Jachino retired from the California Department of Aging. She now finds herself working with seniors once again.

Seniors living on fixed incomes make up a large portion of the food bank's clients. Working with clients, particularly seniors, is her favorite parts of her job, Jachino said.

When the food bank passed out turkeys to seniors at Thanksgiving, piles of "thank you" notes came pouring in, Jachino said.

"One of the nicest things I've found with seniors is that they're just so grateful," Jachino said.

Seniors are just one of many growing demographics served by the food bank. In November, the Food Bank served 4,000 people, an increase of 33 percent.

The recession has created a greater need for food bank services in Elk Grove. Many new clients have lost their jobs or are underemployed.

"Our volunteers are seeing their neighbors in the line," Jachino said.

The recession has also served to raise awareness about the need for a food bank. The community has been very generous with donations this year, Jachino said.

This year, the food bank will collect and distribute approximately 2.5 million pounds of food, all of which will stay in Elk Grove. The organization receives donations of food from members of the community, the Department of Agriculture, Raley's Bel Air, grants and a variety of fundraisers throughout the year.

Clothing is also available for those who receive food from the organization. The clothes closet is stocked with donations from the community and includes a section of professional attire to aid people in their job search.

The clothes closet also supplies clothing to needy children enrolled in the local school district.

"I don't think most people know that," Jachino said.

The closet also includes a selection of new and gently used toys. This year, the Girl Scouts donated wrapped teddy bears for Christmas.

Some of the toys are also donated to the children of migrant workers during an annual Christmas party the organization throws in rural areas. The donations are often the only toy such children receive for Christmas, Jachino said.

"I think people are definitely recognizing that the food bank is more than just a food bank," Jachino said.

Editor's Note: Due to an editing error, a previous version of this article incorrectly stated Marie Jachino's former job title. Jachino was a geriatric care manager. Elk Grove Patch regrets the error.