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Capitol City Adventist Community Services
The food closet is also under new leadership. Bill Brawley began his position as Director of Community Services just this January. He's now there every Monday (except holidays) to direct services, with the help of 12-15 volunteers. The food closet is intended to serve zip codes 95820, 22, 23, 24, 28, and 29, however, volunteer Willie Watson said that since Senior Gleaners (one of CCACS's largest food providers) doesn't worry about zip codes, neither does she. If someone arrives not from those codes, they will be referred elsewhere, but not before receiving a box of food to feed their family for approximately three days. Bill explained to me that things are slower at the beginning of the month, but that by the last Monday of the month, CCACS commonly sees 100 visitors, representing more than 300 people. Only English and sometimes Spanish are spoken by CCACS volunteers, but that hasn't seemed to keep many Russian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese individuals from seeking services there. CCACS has always had a good workforce, and a sufficient supply of food, thanks predominantly to Foodlink and Senior Gleaners. Most of the clothing donations they receive are women's clothes, so they are currently seeking donations of men's clothing. Ruth McBryde explained that this food closet is something that has been passed down from the Bible. Just like Peter and Paul used to help people out by providing goods to the needy through a network of churches, Capitol City Adventist Church serves those in need today. That's why volunteer James Murray comes every week-he saw CCACS as something he could do to help people. James says he enjoys greeting and talking to clients as they come in. In regards to his fellow volunteers he said, "We are all joyful in the Lords work; we all get along well." He added that twenty years ago he saw much fewer people living on the street, yet still, most of CCACS clients have a home. "Sometimes you have a job and you still need food," James said. "Things run short." Your can reach Capitol City Adventist Community Services on the Web at www.capitolcitysda.org
Sacramento Hunger Commission staff will periodically be touring food
closets in Sacramento. If there is a food closet you think should be profiled,
please call us at 916-447-7063 ext.348. [Top]
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Forty-five
years ago Ruth McBryde began helping Capitol City Adventist Community
Services (CCACS) by threading needles in order to make quilts that were
given away to those in need. Ruth has been volunteering at CCACS for much
of her life, along with many other senior volunteers who have spent their
Mondays distributing donated goods to South Sacramento's needy. CCACS
had begun years before even Ruth started helping in 1968. In 1978 CCACS
moved from Oak Park, to its current location on Lemon Hill Rd. where volunteers
from Capitol City Adventist Church continue to assist needy individuals
every Monday by providing free food and clothes from 12 -1:30. The church
is now under the leadership of a new pastor, Ivan L. Williams, who is
bringing a renewed energy and committed sense of service that sounds like
it will continue to fill the sails of this Sacramento human-assistance
fixture. 