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"Whoever Needs Help, We Help" ~by Gary Quackenbush
Virginia Wright first became involved in managing the Community Service Center in 1969 – on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Santa Rosa Seventh-day Adventist Church. She has been active in leading this outreach ministry, providing food and clothing to local residents in need ever since. Working tirelessly without pay, she has seen this center grow from a small room to a large service center that has become one of the city’s primary sources of aid to those in need.
Over the past four decades the number of community residents served has grown from six people a week (72 per quarter) to more than 1,587 per quarter in 2009. On an annualized basis, the total population served has increased from about 300 to more than 6,100 family members.
Today the Adventist Community Service Center at 840 Sonoma Avenue in Santa Rosa is the seventh most sought after institution for public aid among a group of more than 500 social service agencies and non-profit assistance organizations in Sonoma County, according to statistics published by the 2-1-1Volunteer Referral Center of Santa Rosa.
“I started volunteering with what was known back then as the Dorcas Society when my youngest son started school. In those days all we had was some space in a small closet next to the Rose Room kitchen to store food and clothing,” Virginia said. “About 10 to 15 ladies from the church would come together for quilting bees around one large frame and another small one. We made quilts for those in need, but this also served as a social event for our group. Most of the food we distributed to those less fortunate was bought at local stores and given away only on Tuesdays. About $20 was all we had to spend on food per month.”
In the late 1960’s, when Marjorie Grubb was secretary of the Dorcas Society and her aunt was in charge, her aunt approached Virginia one day and said: “you should take over.” There was no formal training in those days and I didn’t know anything about running a community service center. I had to learn on the job and with a lot of help from a group of dedicated ladies from our church as well as from the community at large and other churches.”
As the mission of the organization grew, former Sabbath School classrooms in the main building were repurposed for use as an expanded Community Service Center. This large, first floor facility was divided into separate food and clothing rooms with a reception area and pantry. “The word soon got around as people told others about what we were doing to help those who had lost jobs or had large families to feed.”
Virginia and her volunteers worked with the “Gleaners” starting in 1989 when it was located on Petaluma Hill Road, and before this organization became known as the Redwood Empire Food Bank. Gleaners would salvage dented canned and torn or opened packaged goods from retail food chains and received donations of produce and other items from producers, farmers and individuals. “When the Gleaners moved from Petaluma Hill Road to Industrial Avenue off Piner Road, we were told we could no longer distribute dented cans, baby food or diapers to the public – but people continued to give us these items anyway and we were still shopping for additional food two days a week.”
Over the years, Virginia has seen the number of new people signing up to receive food and clothing increase from six to 50 or more per week. “The center is now open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon. We start the day with worship at 9:50 a.m. and sometimes stay open late when there are a lot of folks still waiting to be served. Most people don’t come to us around the first of the month, because that is when they receive their public assistance checks. But we really get busy one or two weeks later as their money begins to run out.”
The center has a prayer box where notes from those seeking spiritual help can submit their requests. The staff also arranges Bible studies and makes time to meet with individuals when they need someone to talk to. “It’s not just about clothes and food, some of the people we are seeing today have lost their homes, their jobs and their dignity. Others are living in cars or just sleeping out on the street. They need our prayers and support.”
Special food baskets are prepared during the holiday season, usually with a chicken or turkey included. A free toy bazaar is held before Christmas when families can come and select previously owned toys and household items they can give as gifts. “I don’t know of many other organizations that just give away clothing without charge. Sometimes we even get donations of children’s furniture that others can use.”
In addition to the Redwood Empire Food Bank, the Community Service Centers gets food and clothing donations from Wal-Mart, Safeway, Entenmanns, Costco and even Star Bucks (for baked goods) in addition to regular contributions from church members and local residents. “One man in the community has his own garden and brings in fresh vegetables and fruit.”
Virginia could often be seen driving an old GMC pickup truck as she made her rounds to various food banks and other food donation sites. “We bought that truck when it was brand new and hauled tons of stuff for the needy. We also used it to help elderly people move their furniture.” Today, Troy Clemons has assumed the role of transporting goods from the various food banks and other locations to the Community Service Center.
“Years ago we would host several fund raisers, bake sales with homemade items that we could sell in the mall. We also conducted baby blanket sales along with yard sales. Our annual parking lot rummage sale continues to this day. In the past, the Pathfinder club would collect cans in the fall during Ingathering. We also sponsored a Bring A Can To Church campaign to restock our food shelves.”
The list of church member volunteers who have volunteered over the years at the Community Service Center is long and includes a host of names too numerous to mention. From 10 to 12 volunteers from the surrounding community are also on hand to serve each quarter, but the center can always use more help. “There are many tasks to do and not enough hands.”
In 2009 Virginia asked to step down from the day-to-day leadership of the Center and now serves as Assistant Director with Donna McClelland as the new Director. The strong legacy of sharing established by Virginia and others over the years is still in place and continues to grow as new needs arise. “The food available at food banks is shrinking as a result of the recession, and in some cases they are charging for fresh produce that once was free. We need all the help we can get in terms of volunteers as well as canned and packaged food items – such as high protein items like canned tuna, peanut butter, stew and beans -- in order to keep pace with growing demand.”
A Legacy of Caring
Virginia was a child of the depression and the eldest of seven in her family – five are still living. “I remember wearing hand-me-downs and grew up sharing everything. Our family would feed many homeless men who rode the rails during those hard years looking for work. We fed everyone who knocked on our door asking for something to eat. We had a garden and raised vegetables for ourselves as well as those around us. In those days my parents cared for a woman who had no husband. We would make clothes for children by tailoring down adult sizes to fit them. One family lived in our back yard in a tent because they had no place to go. I guess those experiences, and the role models that I lived with while growing up, shaped the philosophy of caring I’ve lived by for more than eight decades – whoever needs help, we help.”
Virginia and Calvin Wright have three children (Kathryn, David and Kenneth) along with five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. All of the Wright’s children and grandchildren are active in the church today. Virginia grew up in Orlando, Florida and met Cal there when he was in the service. The couple returned to Cal’s hometown to live and raise a family. Cal was born in Santa Rosa and later worked as a machinist at Mare Island. They have been attending the Santa Rosa SDA Church from the days when it was known as the Orchard Street Church and later when services were held in an Odd Fellows Hall and a Presbyterian Church. The Wrights helped feed the workers who built the current Santa Rosa Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1960-61. They have lived in the same home in Santa Rosa since 1948, over 61 years.
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