Cornerstone News
November 13, 2006: "Downey's Double Donation"
From left: Gerald Olson, Judy Amber, Melissa Reaves and Harry Wilson stand in front of the meat cooler holding freshly packaged pork.
Representatives from Downey Savings & Loan this week gave 371 pounds of pork to Cornerstone Mission on Sycamore Avenue off Bank Street. "It's a double-duty donation," said Gerald Olson of 4-H Youth Development, "because it helps out by purchasing kids' animals and provides food for Cornerstone."
Downey bought two pigs from the 4-H club, then paid for the butchering and packaging of the pigs before delivering them to Cornerstone this week. Cornerstone fed several hundred people the same day with the pork, which is a product Harry Wilson of Cornerstone said was a rarity there. "We don't get a lot of pork. Lot's of poultry, but not a lot of pork."
Judy Amber from Downey Savings presented the meat Wednesday, accompanied by Mission Administrator Melissa Esquerra, Wilson and Olson. "We just wanted to help out our community," Amber said.
Downey Savings provides "small-town attention with big city clout," according to its Web site. Since 1957, this financial institution has grossed more than $17 billion in assets, with bank offerings covering everything from checking accounts to home loans. Amber said the company plans on donating pork again next year. It also has boxes set up at the Kingman office at 3240 Stockton Hill Road for other donations, such as food and clothing.
Services offered by Cornerstone to those in need include assistance with writing resumes and job hunting, clothing and showers, and free health-care equipment such as crutches, wheelchairs, walkers and hospital beds. The Mission provided more than 25,000 meals in 2004 to friends in need.
All donations are tax-deductible. For more information about Cornerstone's offerings or donations, call 757-1535 or visit CornerstoneMission.com.
For more information on Cornerstone Mission, call 681-3344 Ext.224 or 530-9777.
