Families fed at South Chico Community Assistance Center

CHICO — For more than two years, families looking to feed themselves have lined up for food distributions at the South Chico Community Assistance Center, and Saturday was no different.

With a hint of chocolate chip cookies in the air, guests — in a line extending one block around 2 p.m. at 1805 Park Avenue — picked up a hot meal and take-home groceries off racks restocked every two weeks at the center, grocery-shopping style.

Rather than being given a preselected assortment, guests grabbed items of their choice from shelves. Rich Ober, co-founder of South Chico Community Assistance Center, said guests have told him they feel more dignity this way, giving them agency and leading to less waste.

“It’s empowering; there’s dignity in being able to do that,” Ober said.

Volunteer Bailey Smith places food into a guest’s bag during a food distribution event Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at the South Chico Community Assistance Center in Chico, California. (Michael Weber/Enterprise-Record)

Christina Lewis, right, a volunteer for the South Chico Community Assistance Center, works on organizing shelves as a guest picks out items during a food distribution Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 in Chico, California. (Michael Weber/Enterprise-Record)

Shelf-stable food items are stored on metal racks Satruday, Sept. 14, 2024 at the South Chico Community Assistance Center in Chico, California. (Michael Weber/Enterprise-Record)

A sign placed in front of the South Chico Community Assistance Center advertises a food giveaway Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 in Chico, California. (Michael Weber/Enterprise-Record)

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About one dozen volunteers helped guests pick out canned vegetables and soups; fresh produce like onions, apples and seasonal fruit; dry pasta; butter; eggs, and a choice of hot dogs, chicken or turkey. After guests picking up groceries, the group Chico Red Meals served them hot meals out of the back of the center.

“We almost never have any kinds of conflict or angry people, and part of it is we work really hard at being friendly to people, but its also because people have gotten to know, not only can you get some food, but they’re baking cookies in there,” Ober said. “It makes a difference.”

Ober said the center does not check for identification, but he will walk the block to get to know people through “mini-interviews” and will ask if anyone is on their first visit.

Ober shared some statistics he gathered in the past two years of the center’s operation. He said the center feeds about 100 households each distribution, and based on anecdotal interviews, households average four people, and about two-thirds of guests have cars.

He estimates about 75% of guests are housed, 25% unhoused, and some people will walk from north Chico or drive from out of the city to pick up food.

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Beside bi-weekly food distributions, the center hosts cooking workshops, canning demonstrations and other programs. Food at the center is procured from donations, a partnership with Grub CSA Farm and from the organization’s budget. The center is operating on a $35,000 budget this year.

Information about the center may be found at southchicocac.org.