Havasu Community Health Foundation Food Bank Gets A Facelift

By Becky Maxedon

The Havasu Community Health Foundation Food Bank is getting a facelift and it’s one that will be noticeable to everyone who passes the building on North Kiowa Boulevard.

“I have wanted the outside painted for a very long time,” food bank manager Colleen Mattinson said.

“It is such a wonderful service filled with wonderful volunteers and, in my eyes, so ugly from the outside – filled with beautiful people and a huge eye sore. It always reminded me of the Sheriff Station out on 95,” she said.

Mattinson said the idea came from Linda Seaver, executive director of the Havasu Community Health Foundation.

Seaver reached out to the nonprofit Havasu Area Public Art. “It was all her. She is great.”

HAPA’s mission is to bring art to the city through wall murals, sculptures and community art events. More information is available at havasuarttrail.com.

Artist Greg Heil is creating the mural that will eventually cover the entire front of the food bank, including the big fire truck door.

Photo courtesy Colleen Mattinson

“I am so excited. I was not expecting it to look like us, not to where you can recognize who we are. He is really good,” Mattinson said.

She said Seaver suggested a picture herself, Mike Lunderborg and Bill Dewey.

“I said OK and sent a photo in and stated that it did not have to be like a portrait. But it is like a portrait of the picture I sent.”

Mattinson said that she, Lunderborg and Dewey, with the help of many others, put in many hard hours to get the food bank up and running.

“We are very proud of it and what the food bank does for our community.”

Mattinson said Heil hasn’t been working on the mural very long.

“I could not be happier with what he has done so far and I just know the end result is going to be spectacular.”

The food bank opened Sept. 17, 2018.

“We started with about 150 families a month and have grown to almost 2,000 families per month.”

Open hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Shelves at the Lake Havasu Community Health Foundation Food Bank. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

The first Tuesday of each month, the food bank is only open for a special program which is called The Commodity Senior Food program. This program is only available to 88 clients and has a long waiting list.

Wednesdays are reserved for the Van Go delivery program.

To qualify for delivery, one must be disabled and unable to drive. Delivery is not for people without transportation.

To qualify for the food bank, a single person’s income cannot be more than $2,413 per month. Add $848 for each additional household member.

Picture ID is required for everyone 18 and over, as well as proof of address, if one is available. However being unhoused is not a problem.

The Lake Havasu Community Health Foundation Food Bank is located at 1980 N. Kiowa Blvd.

Mattinson also does SNAP (food stamp) enrollments.

“I am hoping to soon have a program on my phone that will allow me to take clients over the phone. I am excited about that. It is hard for some people to get into the office if they are unhoused or elderly,” she said.

Margaret Winstead gathers food for deliveries at the Havasu Community Health Foundation Food Bank. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Mattinson attributes the success of the food bank to the “amazing” volunteers.

“We are a drive-through and they are working in the heat in the summer and still show up every day and give their all to our community and our food bank,” she said.

“HCHF volunteers are kind, caring, hard-working and loyal to the cause. This could not be done without them. All of them. Past, present and future.”

The food bank is always in need of donations. Please see their needs list.

For more information, visit havasucommunityhealth.org., or by phone at 928-264-1177.