By Stephanie Yost, president of the Idyllwild Community Center board
Contributed 

The Family History Center’s food distribution program that’s been held in the parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Idyllwild for many years is moving to a new location. 

The organization, which provides groceries to about 250 needy Idyllwild families on the first Tuesday of every month through Feeding America’s national food pantry, was at risk of closing the program as the church is no longer able to participate. 

  Instead, however, the Idyllwild Community Center (ICC) is stepping in to help. This new partnership between Family History Center and ICC will allow the continuation of the monthly food distribution, which will be held outside the wooden fence on Cedar Street at Town Hall beginning Tuesday, March 3. 

The hours of distribution will remain the same, from 10 a.m. to noon. Recipients should line up in their cars as they have in the past. The line will form on River Drive and continue south onto Cedar Street at Town Hall.

Marty Krieger, head of Family History Center, is very happy about the new arrangement. 

“We’ve been helping to feed local families for more than fifteen years, and we didn’t want to stop the program,” said Krieger. “I’m really glad that ICC is willing and able to be our new partner.”  

To maintain the program, ICC must be the applicant to Feeding America, Inc., which is a national nonprofit that works with local nonprofits throughout the U.S. to distribute food to those in need. 

Once Town Hall’s renovation is complete, ICC will have proper storage space for any non-perishable and perishable food that isn’t distributed in a given month. Family History Center will continue to handle the actual food distribution, paperwork and other operational requirements.

Feeding America, Inc. requires an annual donation of $900 to cover its administrative, packaging and delivery charges for the food pantry program. ICC is hoping to work with the Rotary Club of Idyllwild to obtain a grant to cover this expense.

For more information about program qualification, contact Marty Kreiger at  951-538-1246.