7 Feed SoCal: Older adults team up with Food Share of Ventura County to help feed their own

Kathleen O’Connell has not slowed down a bit since retiring from her day job some years ago.

For more than a decade, she’s been a busy bee, volunteering with Food Share of Ventura County.

O’Connell is on a mission to help feed the needy, especially fellow older adults struggling to keep food on the table these days.

“It touches me deeply that there are people who don’t have enough to eat at night, and that hurts,” O’Connell said.

Click here to donate or text “FEEDSOCAL” to 41444

Food Share is Ventura County’s largest hunger relief organization, and with a growing number of older adults in need, O’Connell said she’s eager to box up tasty meals for them.

“I live in a mobile home park for seniors, and there are people in our park who get a box, and I’m happy to see that,” she said.

“I mean, isn’t this fabulous?” Food Share President Monica White said. “Seeing our seniors helping to feed their seniors in their community, it’s a beautiful thing to see.”

Sweet and beautiful, seeing seniors helping seniors, yet bittersweet knowing the need is growing.

“We’re definitely seeing an increased need through our senior population, as our population gets older, more and more seniors,” White said. “The cost of food is not keeping up, perhaps, with their fixed income.”

Danny Victorio spoke to 7 about the growing number of older adults needing help, as he grabbed a box of food at the South Oxnard Center.

Food Share provides these meals at the center each month to many grateful people.

“Especially nowadays, things are hard, groceries are high,” Victorio said.

“This help us a whole lot, because the money is tight and the rent is high,” Ofelia Sonoiki added.

Food Share helped more than 250,000 people last year, from older adults and veterans, to farm workers, students and children.

White said it touches her heart knowing the need is great, yet Food Share is meeting the challenge, thanks to the outpouring of support from donors opening their hearts and wallets.

People helping people. It’s the American way.

Our 15th annual 7 Feed SoCal Food Drive is underway now.

If you would like to help our neighbors in need, click here to donate or text “FEEDSOCAL” to 41444.

Your gift of $25 today will unlock 100 meals for people in need in your neighborhood.