HELPING THE NEEDY: From left to right. Philip Galindo, Commerce
Councilwomen Denise Robles, Pastor Charles Woody, State Senator Tony
Mendoza, Reverend, Eric Tietze, and Pastor Tony Leon. Photo by Tammye McDuff.
By Tammye McDuff
The Heart of Compassion [HOC] has been serving those in need for more than 15 years. Distributing to hundreds of food banks, shelters, veterans, senior centers and school programs HOC has become a staple for families in Southern California.
HOC believes to fight hunger feeds hope. By providing fresh fruits, vegetables and other nutritional foods, and when available furniture and clothing to the less fortunate the organization distributed food to 284,945 families and served more than one million people. HOC distributed 16.5 million pounds of goods, totaling over 33 million dollars.
The mission for Heart of Compassion is to fight hunger by meeting immediate food needs in those communities that are hardest hit during economic hard times. Working with local officials HOC has developed a successful and sustainable program, helping others to become self reliant and independent. The mission for HOC is to empower the urban poor, serving as a facility that provides transitional housing, occupational training and vocational rehabilitation.
The annual Christmas event was held this past Saturday, December 20, 2014. Toys, clothing, food and a grocery basket full of holiday trimmings were distributed to thousand of people. Free haircuts and dental examinations were also provided.
Reverend, Eric Tietze is the pastor behind this amazing organization. Tietze told HMG, “Many of us were raised to think that you went to school and got an education, you would be able to find a good job and work hard toward a successful life. As we know, in life sometimes things just happen that we are unprepared for. This is where we want Heart of Compassion to help.”
According to statistics gathered by Feeding America, California has over 6 million people that are food insecure. Until recently, the number of people falling below the federal poverty threshold has been the indicating measure to identify the need for food at the local level. However, national food insecurity data reveals that about 57% of those struggling with hunger actually have incomes above the federal poverty level and 59% of these households are food secure.
“We are not just about food distribution, or the various men’s home that we maintain,” states Tietze “We also sponsor nutrition training classes, food handling, parenting classes, warehouse operation, resume preparation, anger and financial management.”
Newly elected Senator of the 32nd district Tony Mendoza was on hand to help distribute goods, “I had only heard about this organization last year. It is such a wonderful thing that they do here. Pastor Eric and Heart of Compassion really reach out and give tangible help and hope to so many people. It is truly a miracle on Maple Street!”
