Drive raises a million pounds of food

Kenneth Ma

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Instead of competing against each other, 11 local

real estate companiesjoined forces to help defeat hunger in Huntington

Beach. The Realtors Against Hunger campaign reached its monthlong goal of

raising 1 million pounds of food for the needy in Orange County.

The announcement was made Monday at a reception at the Waterfront Hilton.

“While they remain fierce competitors, they are even more fierce in

attacking a common cause,” Mayor Dave Garofalo said. “I don’t think

competition among people is bad if it is for a good cause.”

Bob Bolen, a real estate broker with Huntington Beach Realty, said the

million pounds of food will be a good benchmark goal for future

fund-raisers.

“I like seeing Realtors get involved in the community,” he said.

Huntington Beach residents, businesses, churches, schools and community

organizations answered the call of 1,500 local real estate agents by

donating nonperishable goods, and in some cases money, to help feed

people who can’t afford a meal. Every dollar counted as 30 pounds of

food.

Ninnette Selsted, a resource manager for the Second Harvest Food Bank of

Orange County, said 1 million pounds of food is an unprecedented amount

that no city has ever raised before.

Last year, the city of Orange raised 220,000 pounds of food, she said.

Huntington Beach residents “are very caring people, and they want to be a

part of their community,” said Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff.

“This was an opportunity for residents to show that they want to

participate in the community,” Dettloff said. “We sometimes forget people

who are not as fortunate.”

The nonprofit food bank will distribute donated foods such as pasta,

macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, tuna and canned stew to 345

charities, Selsted said. Those charities, she said, will either prepare

meals or redistribute the food to needy people, feeding nearly 185,000 in

Orange County.

On average, the food bank distributes 1 million pounds of food a month,

Selsted said.