CAMARILLO : Food Drives to Help Military Families

Lori Mumper of Camarillo said she wanted to do something for U.S. troops besides waving posters in support.

After learning that many families of military personnel are having financial problems because they have temporarily lost a provider, Mumper and the Ventura County Support-Our-Troops Coalition organized a series of food drives that will start today.

The drives, in conjunction with weekly pro-military rallies, will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the County Government Center today and Feb. 16 and 23.

“If the families write back to the guys in the Gulf and tell them that they have enough to eat, maybe it will ease their minds a little,” she said. “This is to let them know that we care.”

The two groups having the most difficulty are families of low-ranking personnel and families of reservists, Mumper said. There have been recent cases in the county in which such families have faced eviction or inability to pay utility bills, she added.

“The military tries to provide for its people, but like with any organization, some people slip through the cracks,” she said. “We’re going to try and fill up some of those cracks.”

All non-perishable food and daily care items will be accepted. Basic necessities include cereal, juices, crackers, canned fruits and vegetables, rice and beans. Baby food is needed.

All donations will be given to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society of Port Hueneme and will be distributed directly to the families.

Mumper said she tested the idea for the drive by collecting donations outside a neighborhood supermarket.

In two hours, Mumper and her mother collected about $250 worth of food, including 100 pounds of rice, 100 pounds of beans and 288 eggs from a man who owns a local restaurant, Mumper said.