Duran & Venables Paves the Way for Local Food Pantry

September 10, 2009 Milpitas, CA - In another successful attempt at raising food and other goods for The Milpitas Food Pantry, Duran & Venables’ 3rd Annual Food Drive exceeded expectations. A leading provider of grading and paving construction services in Northern California, Duran & Venables kicked off its month-long food drive to help raise food by hosting a barbeque for employees, vendors, and members of the local community. With the help of employees and vendors, the Food Drive was able to raise nearly two tons of food. “It is important to continue this tradition, even in the face of a challenging economy,” explained Sean Venables, president of Duran & Venables. “Participating with the Milpitas Food Pantry in this drive is especially important now because it has become increasingly more difficult for service organizations to help our community. The Food Drive is an admirable way of bringing our company together to assist our community, the very same effort we make for our customers.”

The Milpitas Food Pantry is part of the Second Harvest Food Bank, which assists residents of Milpitas and Alviso by an emergency food box program that distributes food to low and no-income residents. The Pantry serves approximately 300 households comprising of about 900 individuals every month. Families range in size from one to 12. They also assist a number of elderly and the homeless population as well.

Karen Kolander, director of the Milpitas Food Pantry, commented on the experience: “I cannot even begin to express my amazement at the level of organization and the overall outcome of this event. Duran & Venables’ Food Drive so far exceeded anything that I had imagined. I was blown away. The employee and vendor participation was like nothing I had ever seen before, and together they delivered and unloaded an incredible amount of food! I was so happy to be a part of this event, and I look forward to next year!”

At the end of the month-long Food Drive, Duran & Venables hosted a barbeque at their location in Milpitas to thank employees and vendors for their support and contributions, and to present their donations to the Milpitas Food Pantry.

Vendors that donated food and other goods included A Tool Shed, Ahern Rentals, Allied North America, Aman Environmental, Antioch Building Materials, Bay Tool & Supply Inc., BEJAC Corporation, Big Lots, Bubba’s Lowbed Service, California Express Trucking, Del Secco Diamond Core & Saw, Fonseca-McElroy Grinding, Gagliasso Trucking, Granite Rock, Herman’s Mobile Lube Inc., Hertz Rental Equipment, Isaacson Equipment Maintenance, It’s A Grind, Mac Cal, Mancebo Corporation, Papé Machinery, Papé Rents Material Handling, Petersen Tractor, Preston Pipelines, Ramirez Transportation Co., Ramon’s Commercial Tire, Reed & Graham, SB Transportation, Sunstate Rentals, Sunbelt Rentals, Topcon California, United Rentals, and Zanker Road Resource Management.

Public donations can be made to the Milpitas Food Pantry in person at 196 South Main Street in Milpitas, or by mail at P.O. Box 360061, Milpitas, CA 95036. For more information on the Pantry, call (408) 946-5564 or visit them online at www.milpitasfoodpantry.org.