Sheri Randolph Named a 'Leaping Leader!'

K-FROG and Azusa Pacific University present
“Leaping Leaders”…. honoring those who have leaped forward to make extraordinary contributions to our communities.

Executive Director, Sheri Randolph, was selected as the February 2010 'Leaping Leader' for her contribution to the Barstow community.  Congratulations, Sheri!

Desert Manna Staff Members Lori Worthing, Skip Bedford, Mary Haydn, Walt Cudahy, Kory Pike, Arthur Wieand, Cheryl Hannah and Ruthanne Eddy celebrate Sheri's award with a representative from Azusa Pacific University.

Desert Manna Receives Funding from the City of Barstow

We would like to thank Mayor Joe Gomez, Mayor Pro-Tem Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre, and Council Members Tim Silva, Tim Saenz, and Willie Hailey for voting unanimously to approve a contract with Desert Manna to reimburse us for services rendered to the city.  The amount of reimbursement is $17,000.  The Council voted at a Special Meeting on October 8, 2009.

This funding will enable Desert Manna to continue providing the services so desperately needed in Barstow and the surrounding unincorporated areas.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt Proposes to Allocate $17,000 to Desert Manna

First District San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt today announced his intention to allocate $17,000 to Desert Manna Ministries, Inc. of Barstow to assist the organization in its mission to provide food and services to those in need.

“Many residents are feeling the strain of our economic crisis, and it’s important that we work together to support them,” said Supervisor Mitzelfelt, who serves on the County’s Interagency Council on Homelessness. “These funds will provide food and services to Barstow-area residents in need, thereby contributing to their health, well-being, and quality of life.”

Mitzelfelt and Barstow Mayor Joe Gomez, who was appointed earlier this year by Mitzelfelt to the Interagency Council on Homelessness, collaborated on a plan to assist Desert Manna when it was learned that their food services were at risk of ending due to a shortage of funding. The two leaders committed to each contribute $17,000 to bridge the funding gap. At Tuesday’s board meeting, Mitzelfelt will ask his fellow Supervisors to support his proposal to allocate the funds out of his district budget.

Desert Manna Ministries is a non-profit organization, which has served the needs of homeless and low-income people in Barstow and the surrounding unincorporated areas for 19 years. The organization’s goal is to assist the homeless by providing food and services to those in need.

Desert Manna distributes emergency food, provides meals to residents in need, provides nonmonetary assistance to residents who are unable to pay their utility bills, mortgages, or rental payments, and assists Barstow residents in completing required forms to receive assistance from the San Bernardino County weatherization program.

“I appreciate Supervisor Mitzelfelt’s continued support of those in need,” said Mayor Gomez. “We are excited about this partnership and look forward to continuing to work with the County to address homelessness in Barstow.”

From a Press Release dated 10/23/09.