Rising fuel prices impacting Valley non-profit groups

FRESNO, Calif.

Greg Chinn provides fresh produce and other food items to Tulare County families in need.

Volunteers help the Visalia Gleaning Seniors deliver the daily meals but rising fuel prices now have them asking for gas money.

"On the daily operations a lot of people were donating their gas time," Chinn said. "Now they're not. They're saying we need to be paid."

The group collects donated food and clothing items but fuel is taking up more and more of their operating costs.

Chinn said, "About 85 percent of our money goes to gas in the trucks or we pay mileage to the members to come out here to work to get the food out to people."

The Farmersville senior center is one of the places served by the Visalia Gleaning Seniors.

Claudia Guzman cooks meals here. She notices when some of the regulars are missing.

Guzman said, "We used to have a senior from Visalia and a lot of times we couldn't go and pick him up sometimes because of the gas and there's sometimes all of us pitch in and one of us will go pick them up so us workers try to help him out."

Despite the rising gas prices Chinn says his group won't cut back on food deliveries.

Copyright © 2024 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.