During the week, Dove McKinnon knows her clients at Caminar’s Wellness and Recovery Center in Vallejo are getting at least two warm, nourishing meals a day, thanks to her agency’s long-running partnership with the Food Bank.
Over the past decade, Dove has seen firsthand what a difference having enough nourishing food makes to her guests, who – in addition to facing hunger – are living with complex mental health conditions. So, when the weekend rolls around, she likes to do something special to make sure they continue to feel supported on their days away from the Wellness and Recovery Center (WRC) – and have a little fun in the process.
On Friday mornings, guests at the WRC gather for a friendly game of bingo. The first person to win gets first pick of a selection of staple foods – also provided with help from Food Bank supporters like you.
“It’s something they really look forward to,” Dove shares. “All of them are on limited budgets and the majority of the money they have goes to their rent.”
And because of your generous support there is always enough food for every person who wants it to take what they will need, no matter how their bingo games go!
A Support System
Caminar is one of more than 260 nonprofits the Food Bank partners with to provide neighbors with support that meets their individual needs – in this case, the needs of adults in Solano County who live with serious mental health conditions.
Neighbors are referred to the WRC by the County as part of their treatment and support program. (Caminar operates a second Wellness and Recovery Center in Fairfield.) While there, they participate in group counseling, gain tools to understand and manage their diagnoses and learn life skills that can prepare them for employment or education.
Having enough to eat makes a big difference to that work, Dove says. She’s seen the way a hot cup of coffee and breakfast in the morning, and a hearty lunch cooked on-site, help turn the WRCinto a second home. And because she is able to be generous with the food she gives out, clients feel more comfortable and able to continue their recovery journeys.
“The partnership with the Food Bank, I’m just so grateful that we have that,” she says.
Cynaka’s story
Cynaka, one of this week’s first bingo winners at the WRC, says she appreciates the food she can take home with her when the Center’s programming wraps up in the afternoon. As a cancer survivor, who lives with HIV, diabetes and multiple mental health conditions, she says it can be tough to afford food that supports her health on a limited budget.
With more of her food needs covered, she can spend her time at the WRC focusing on learning new skills to help her advocate for better care for herself and others. And she can enjoy spending time with the friends she’s made there, who understand the challenges she has faced in life.
Help with food also gives her the space to share her story with others, “and give an insight into what people are going through in their own minds.” So far, she’s published four books of poetry, and co-hosts a local open-mic night, Poetry by the Bay.
“The food helps me a lot when I’m struggling,” she shares. “Food stamps don’t give you that much money in the first place… Having some food helps me sustain, and to eat healthy. At least I don’t have to worry about that.”
Want to learn more about the lives you touch daily?
Subscribe to our latest news. We’ll share stories and videos about the powerful, local impact you have on your neighbors – and new and exciting opportunities to continue the fight against hunger.
