Boxes of food are ready to be distributed. (Photos by Emily Baierl)
For 16 years, the U.R. Important Foundation has provided food and other resources to families across Southwest Riverside County.
The faith-based nonprofit in Lake Elsinore serves families through monthly grab-and-go food distributions held on the last Saturday of each month, as well as holiday programs. When the foundation cannot directly meet a need, it helps connect residents with other community resources such as housing assistance, job opportunities and other local programs.
“We want to establish relationships,” said Alexxa Oliver, director and founder of the organization. “It’s about us bringing communities together.”
The organization began by distributing clothing and household goods to families in areas including French Valley, Menifee and Hemet. Oliver collected donations from the community and held giveaways at local parks every few months.
Over time, the foundation expanded its outreach to include annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaways. Oliver said the first turkey giveaway served 10 families.
Now, the foundation distributes hundreds of turkeys each year through donations and partnerships with other organizations. During the holidays, it also provides toys and gift cards to families.
“We started off very small,” Oliver said. “We did a tremendous amount of work, but it all paid off.”
In addition to their food giveaways, the organization once operated a boutique out of its Lake Elsinore location where residents could come in and pick up free clothing and other items. During the COVID-19 pandemic, that space was turned into a food pantry as the need for food assistance grew. That change led to the creation of the foundation’s monthly grab-and-go food distribution program.
According to Oliver, the program now serves between 25 to 75 families during a typical month, with numbers increasing during the holidays.
To prepare for monthly distribution days, volunteers collect food donations from the organization’s local partners. Later, they participate in “Packing Day,” where they assemble boxes with canned goods, produce, snacks and other items before loading them onto pallets for distribution.
Nevaeh Atchison, one of the organization’s volunteers, said she first became involved with U.R. Important after growing up around the foundation and later volunteering on her own while attending college.
“I was a college student struggling, and so they always blessed me here with food,” Atchison said. “But then they always blessed me with love and community, too.”
The foundation relies heavily on its volunteers, including students from the Mt. San Jacinto College’s Helping Hands Club, who assist with food distributions, social media and warehouse work.
“They have been such a blessing to us,” Oliver said. “They’ve been coming out for the past year to help volunteer and they have been amazing.”
Atchison said the organization focuses on creating a welcoming environment for families picking up food.
“They are not just receiving food, they’re receiving love,” she said.
Volunteers often speak with families while loading cars and offer prayer or support when requested.
“Every single month, it surprises us, the stories that come through,” Atchison said. “It reminds us why we’re here.”
Last Thanksgiving, the organization faced one of its biggest challenges when a truck carrying their turkey donations for distribution was stolen before the event.
Oliver said families had already lined up for the giveaway when she learned the truck was missing.
“The first thing I thought was, ‘Ok, we have to work on this,’” Oliver said.
Oliver started calling the recipients in line to inform them of the situation. A recipient reported the incident to CBS news, and the story quickly spread, prompting community members to step in with donations. Using the donations, Oliver and her team purchased more turkeys from nearby stores.
The foundation was able to distribute 300 turkeys. Another distribution event nearby helped accommodate the remaining families in line, where an additional 200 turkeys were provided.
“We made sure everyone had a turkey before Thanksgiving.” Oliver said. “I really appreciate the community for showing that sharing is caring and for sharing the love.”
The foundation hopes to expand its services again, including bringing back the boutique space and growing its food pantry. The organization also hopes to increase its volunteer base and plans to start posting online cooking videos showing families how to prepare meals using ingredients from food distributions.
“I want the community to understand that we’re giving because we want to and that it’s a blessing to serve others,” Oliver said.
