The Salvation Army’s Lt. Tony Poe handed out bags of food at the Idyllwild HELP Center on Wednesday morning. People in need filled out forms for eligibility, then proceeded outside to get their bags of food. The Salvation Army will return to Idyllwild every other month. The next visit will be in June.

The Idyllwild HELP Center has been busily expanding its resources. Last Wednesday, members of the Hemet Salvation Army unit brought food to the Hill.

They will be returning with food every two months, according to Colleen Meyer, the HELP Center’s client services administrator. The next visit will be in June, she said.

“It’s enough food for a household for one week, whether it’s one person or three or six,” Meyer said.

This past week, Meyer estimated that about 30 households picked up food, enough for 70 or more people.

When coming for food, individuals should fill out an “intake” sheet, which is for the Salvation Army records. Also, proof of local residency is needed for minors and photo identification for adults, she added.

“They just want to verify the household size,” she explained.

The Salvation Army is just one of three regional organizations providing assistance and resources to the HELP Center.

Women, Infants and Children, a state program, provides food vouchers to local families. They also come every other month and are expected in Idyllwild on May 17, according to Meyer.

WIC is a federally funded health and nutrition program, which helps families buy healthy supplemental foods from WIC-authorized vendors, nutrition education, and helps find healthcare and other community services. Participants must meet income guidelines and be pregnant women, new mothers, infants or children under age five.

Riverside County’s Community Action Partnership offers services such as the Healthy Communities program, dispute resolution and mediation, a utility assistance and weatherization program, and Project BLISS, Building Links Impact Self-Sufficiency.

“They’ll come and provide assistance up to $372 for propane and utility bills,” Meyer said.

The April 17 visit from the Salvation Army went great, Meyer said. If there are questions about any of these programs or services, please call the HELP Center at (951) 659-2110.