Emergency Aid food drives fill bare shelves

With many of its shelves empty, Emergency Aid of Boulder City welcomed more than 3,500 pounds of food Saturday.

The food, the result of several community food drives, is expected to allow the nonprofit agency to provide meals to local residents through the end of the year, said President Marylyn Phillips.

The donations were brought in by local Boy Scouts affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, employees of the Bureau of Reclamation and St. Thomas More Catholic Community.

“We did have some bare shelves, and our needs are growing,” Phillips said.

She said Emergency Aid provides food for about 150 families a week and goes through roughly 1,500 pounds of food a month.

She said the donations received Saturday will be the last major food drives the group is expecting for the year. Donations are always welcome, however, especially near Thanksgiving when Emergency Aid will provide boxes filled with everything needed for a holiday dinner, including a turkey.

Phillips said those who want to request a Thanksgiving box must register at the office, located within the old Department of Water and Power Building at 600 Nevada Way. Additionally, the organization will provide holiday meal boxes to residents of Quail Ridge Manor, a low-cost housing facility for senior citizens.

“Last year, there were 42 residents,” she said of the senior facility.

Christmas meal boxes will be provided by the local Elks lodge, she said.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.