St. Vincent de Paul donates $5,000 to Fallbrook Food Pantry

FALLBROOK — The St. Peter’s Chapter of St. Vincent de Paul made a recent extra $5,000 donation to the Fallbrook Food Pantry. Don Luallin, general manager of the Fallbrook Food Pantry, stated, “We just want to thank St. Vincent de Paul for all the support they’ve given us. With this extra donation, St. Vincent de Paul [has given] us $45,600 over the past six years, and it has certainly helped feed the needy in our community.” From January to the end of July this year, the Fallbrook Food Pantry has provided food to 35,960 persons — 17,590 adults and 18,370 children — in the community.

The St. Peter’s Chapter of St. Vincent de Paul also has its own food pantry, which delivers food to needy families, and a soup kitchen that feeds anywhere from 650 to almost a thousand people every month. Even so, they also give the Fallbrook Food Pantry $700 every month. “With the monthly support from St. Vincent de Paul, we pay our rent so that we can keep our doors open. St. Vincent de Paul also adopts families through us and gives us baskets at Christmastime, but this extra donation will really help support our senior program.”

Many seniors in the community have lived here a long time and have given back to their community during their lives. With continually rising costs of rent and especially prescriptions, many seniors can’t afford groceries. “The seniors have a lot of pride,” explains Luallin, “so they don’t want to ask for help, but now it’s our time to help them.”

Seniors who qualify can either pick up monthly food commodity distributions at the Fallbrook Food Pantry, located at 1042 South Mission Road, or a volunteer from St. Peter’s will take the food to their home if they are unable to drive. “Right now we help about 2,244 seniors in our community,” states Luallin, “but there are many more who need our help.” If you are or know a senior person in need, please contact the Fallbrook Food Pantry at (760) 728-7608.