On Thursday, the Kiwanis Aktion Club of Atascadero unloaded 336 pounds of food for Atascadero Loaves and Fishes (ALF) after donating 300 pounds in November.
Even more impressive than the thousands of pounds they’ve collected this year is who’s doing the collecting — a group of 13 club members with special needs.
Atascadero Loaves and Fishes Lead Volunteer Kathy Bennett said the club members had been supporting ALF for a while before she connected the organization's name with the faces behind it.
“This group in particular has been doing this for a long time now and we weren’t even aware of it,” Bennett said. “I just saw a barrel outside of one of our grocery stores on Atascadero and it had their name on it, Kiwanis Aktion Club.”
The club’s donations throughout the year make a huge difference for those who rely on support from ALF.
“If we cannot get the food, we have to purchase the food and we get that from groups like this. And I don’t think people realize that it’s not just free food coming into these pantries,” Bennett said.
Each club member helps with a giving spirit.
“Their mind is on contributing to the community all the time. What can I do? How can I help? You know, they love to help,” Bennett said.
Atascadero Kiwanis Aktion Club Facilitator Chris Shuck said they embrace that generosity daily.
“They help each other. They help their families. It’s basically helping. They don’t see it as doing anything extra in their lives,” Shuck said.
Kiwanis Aktion Club members like Laurie and Cole enjoy helping out.
“I like it because [it takes a ] strong woman to go around," Laurie said.
“I love this here because it’s Christmas time and they need the support for Christmas,” Cole agreed.
In honor of the impact these Kiwanis members make, Shuck asks that the community support their efforts by donating food during January and February when donations are lower.
You can do so by dropping off healthy, nonperishable goods in the Kiwanis Aktion Club barrel outside the Grocery Outlet in Atascadero.
