Chico mom is ensuring that people have access to food
The amazing Kimberly Thompson,
in her own words:
In May 2020 I started volunteering to help shield participants of North Valley Harm Reduction from the abusive yelling and harassment of protesters. I started helping them assemble snack bags to help further, and soon started buying things and bringing them there.
One Sunday I had a lot of leftover popsicles and someone suggested bringing them to the plaza because Chico Friends on the Street were handing out meals. When I showed up I was shocked at the huge need of food and supplies our unhoused community faced. I was admittedly naïve in thinking people were being adequately provided food in our community.
There were several groups doing the hard work of bringing meals on Sundays but still people needed more. I decided to start providing pre-packaged foods that people could take with them and eat later. Food insecurity is so rampant with our unhoused community and if they were able to get a meal from one of the wonderful Sunday groups I wanted to provide them with food and drinks they could take with them to eat later.
Since May I have been making 50-100 snack bags weekly and bringing them to the plaza, and when there were people living at Humboldt Park, providing them there as well.
My initial plan was to just provide some bags of food, but as the weather cooled off it was clear that there were not enough places providing sleeping bags, tarps, tents, socks and warm clothing to people who are living in the elements. I started asking for donations of funds and items to help also fill that gap. Over the winter we provided at least 75 sleeping bags, and countless other items. All of this has been funded through people donating food items, and Venmo and PayPal as well my own money.
It’s a family project, and the kids help assemble and deliver the care packages.
They really enjoy helping out honestly and when Delilah's Girl Scout leader said the Scouts help charities she said, “like feeding the homeless? We do that!”
People always love to see them. It’s a great way to talk to people because they love talking about their own families, children, nieces and nephews
I had my fifth baby in April 2021 and now I have a few wonderful friends who also volunteer to make sure snack bags are made and distributed.
