Participants in St. Vincent de Paul's "Friends of the Poor Walk" encourage awareness of food insecurity in the community. Front row, from left, are Eliza, Amanda, and Emma Marquez, Dan Bozzo, Bernadette Valenzuela, Cathy Smith. Back row from left, Mike Dahl, Melva Mota, Robert Miller, Maria Sanchez, James Valenzuela, Donna Earley, Cathy Slota, Mary Ellen Hart, Sara Marquez, Geny Montero, and Mary Lou Fischer. Photo by Cindy Scott

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - For the last nine years, the volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) food closet in Gridley have helped community members with food and financial assistance. Saturday, Oct. 18, volunteers and friends gathered for a walk through Gridley to bring awareness to families experiencing food insecurity.

Participants in the “Friends of the Poor Walk” gathered to register, enjoy refreshments and donate food and cash to the St. Vincent de Paul closet. Then, holding a banner and signs, they walked from the food closet at 1561 Hazel Street to downtown Gridley and back. The beautiful morning added to the good feeling in the group.

Sara Marquez, president of the local St. Vincent de Paul conference, explained that the organization is affiliated with the Catholic Church, but functions autonomously. All donations help families in Biggs, Gridley and Live Oak.

Marquez said that the underlying message in the Bible is to help the poor, but that it can be difficult to know how to do that. Nine years ago, the local priest suggested interested members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church affiliate with St. Vincent de Paul in their efforts to reach out to those in need.

St. Vincent de Paul is an international non-profit organization focused on assisting families with rent, utilities, food, clothing, medical needs, disaster assistance, budgeting and more.

The food closet is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30am. The hotline for emergency needs is 530-588-9777.