Monthly Newsletter for Western Eagle Foundation

As Chief Executive Officer it is one of my responsibilities to keep up with current legislation and the new bill everyone is talking about is Senate Bill 1383, “recovering surplus edible food to feed people is not only a great idea, but also a California law, starting January 1, 2022. This effort will increase access to nutritious food for members of our community, while reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions that are the result of food ending up in the landfill. Western Eagle Foundation works with several food and produce suppliers, including local farmers, paying nominal costs to bring good food to the store every week and offer to families at much lower prices than local grocery and retail stores. Western Eagle takes seriously it’s mission to successfully “be a caring community partner that feeds those in need.”

Western Eagle Foundation has several programs and works with multiple agencies to help feed community members in both cities and hard to reach outlying areas in Riverside County. This month we are focusing on the Food Box program, available to all income levels, with no limit to how many you may pick-up in a day, or how many times a week.

The Food Box has a small program fee of $15.00 each to cover transportation costs (truck, gasoline), purchase costs paid to suppliers and farmers and warehouse and freezer storage.

The staple food box this week included: a high-protein box of cereal, 2 cans peaches, 2 cans mixed fruit, 2 cans tomato sauce, 2 cans red kidney beans, 3 cans tuna, 18 eggs, bag of rice, bag of oats, 2 quarts milk and 1 box of assorted cookies, yum…plus….

wait for it, the shopper was able to choose and add to her box the following: a bag of chips, 1 loaf of bread, package of rolls, plus….1 onion, 2 bags of garlic, 3 bags red grapes, 1 cantaloupe, 1 bunch of bananas, 2 pkgs of watermelon, 6 red potatoes, 1 bag of purple grapes, 1 bag of radishes, 8 peppers, 2 bags of sweet potatoes, 1 bag broccoli, 1 bag Cole-slaw, 3 russet potatoes, 1 pkg celery, 4 Yuca and 1 bag of kale.

THAT IS A LOT OF FOOD!!!

Now truth be told, if you say the word Western Eagle to a neighbor, most likely they recognize the store by the cheery person who works there named Serena Cooper and go “oh yes” I’ve met her.

Serena has been working for Western Eagle Foundation for 18 years and is the Operations Manager for the front of the store, whose responsibilities include but are not limited to hiring and managing staff, scheduling resources, purchasing food and supplies, coordinating pick-up from suppliers and farmers, oversight of the volunteer groups that participate in the on-the-job-training program, and in charge of pricing and training cashiers.

Additionally, she works with consultants, handles administration duties for the CEO, answers the phones and greets customers and helps those in need by offering vouchers for food boxes.

Western Eagle Foundation collaborates with many other nonprofit agencies and faith-based organizations to help identify food insecure community members and transport food to their neighborhoods and/or distribute food box vouchers.

This month we met with Mary Phillips Senior Center, Riverside County Trauma Intervention Programs and SAFE Family Justice Center and gave them food box vouchers to be given to seniors, family members suffering loss from an accident and/or trauma incident and domestic violence victims. Many of our collaborating nonprofits work hand in hand with police and fire first responders and we are thankful for the continued outreach to those in need in Riverside County.