Community Action Services is setting up a new food bank site in Oakley Town Hall and anticipates opening in two weeks. The former location in Kamas closed last July when the rent quadrupled.
“Community Action Services has been in the community for over 20 years, and we love you know, the beauty and the amazing people in the community,” says Laura Lyn Vernon, who runs the food bank in Town Hall and others in the region. “We're so thankful that Oakley found a spot for us and that we will continue to serve the people, because it's something that's really needed. There is a need in the area.”
Community Action Services began moving in on May 1.
Since then, Vernon says there have already been “tons” of donations. The food bank doesn’t have a refrigerator yet and can only accept non-perishable goods for now, but Vernon expects to to get a fridge soon.
Oakley City government officials agree that the bank will fill a need.
“There was a real concern that without the service offered in this Kamas Valley location up here, that we would be missing a significant population that was being served by the community food bank,” says Amy Rydalch, city administrator and recorder. “It’s probably not the most ideal situation — we're located in a city hall that's quite old — but we've decided that it was an important service, and so we've made some accommodations in our facility here to house a local branch of the food bank.”
Vernon says the food bank will be open from 10 to 5 on Mondays and Thursdays. But food donations will still be accepted during Town Hall hours of operation, which are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Oakley Town Hall is at 960 West Center Street.
