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We acknowledge with sorrow and regret the passing of Cornelia Vergara on February 18, 2010. Cornelia served on Local Aid's Board of Directors for many years. Our dear friend was a multi-talented woman as a holder of two Master's degrees, a pilot, missionary, teacher and an advocate for Hispanic families. She is sorely missed.

Local Aid experienced a 21% increase in people using its emergency food services in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, compared to prior year. During that time, an average 239 families (683 people) received a food box each month; the prior year's average was 195 families. July and August of 2009, however, show some slowing in the need for food among our clients, with an average 205 families during those two months.

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Local Aid opened its pantry in the evening for the first time on January 21, 2010. The pantry will be in operation on the third Thursday of each month, from 6 to 8 p.m., staffed by volunteers headed by Jeff Starr, youth pastor for one of our local churches and valued friend of Local Aid.
Early in January,2010 we were notified by FOOD for Lane County that Local Aid is the recipient of a $2,000 grant from Oregon Food Bank to offset a part of the cost of buying our food pickup-and-delivery truck. Our heartfelt thanks to Oregon Food Bank ─ this helps us so much in these difficult economic times!
September, 2009: Local Aid has purchased its own truck to use for picking up and delivering food from FOOD for Lane County each week. We were able to find a used U-Haul truck in reasonable condition, for a modest price, and the purchase was completed in late September, 2009.
Local Aid is now a shopping pantry, as of February 2009. This allows our clients to select their own food with the help of a volunteer. Our food shelves have been labeled identifying the amount of each product a client may choose.
What we need most, right now:

A volunteer to "shop" for perishables at FOOD for Lane County's warehouse (770 Bailey Hill Road, Eugene) each Monday at 1 p.m. Volunteers do not need to go to Junction City. Duties: Select and weigh cooler items, bread, produce and pastry for Local Aid's truck pickup at 2 p.m. No more than one hour each week should be required, and training will be provided. Click here for contact information if you are interested.
Monetary donations. The utility bill assistance season is in full swing again, and we also now have transportation expenses (gasoline, insurance, and maintenance) that we did not have in prior years.