A photo of Evelyn Mount from her website
Evelyn Mount has been a generous member of the Reno, Nevada community since 1976. She and her late husband founded a non-profit organization, the Community Outreach Food Drive, to provide holiday meals to thousand of families in the Reno/Sparks area. Since the Outreach program is run with volunteer help to keep the expenses low, many members of the community have gathered at her house in northeast Reno to help pack Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. She has made her home into a makeshift food bank and has been collecting food, grocery store gift cards, clothing, and monetary donations, and donating back to the community every week for almost three decades.
Evelyn has grown up with the values of the importance of helping people. She spends her Thanksgiving serving hot meals to the less fortunate and her Christmas packing meals to give to the hundreds of incredibly appreciative people.
“We were raised that way,” Mount said, according to Chris Ciarlo from Channel 2 News. “I feel if I can’t help someone, I’m not here for any good.”
With the troubled economy and job shortages, the Silver State has been one place in particular that has been hit hard with unemployment and poverty in the last few years. The images of adults and kids alike shivering on the sidewalk on a crisp Christmas morning outside Mount’s house is enough to drive anyone to want to help.
Last year, Mount was struggling to make food donations every week and was calling out for the community to help her. She usually feeds an average of 160 people per week but dozens were turned away because of a shortage of donations.
“We need food, the people are crying out for food, and we need all the food we can get,” Mount said, according to Adam Rasmussen from Channel 2 News.
Ardis Parmer, a resident of Reno, Nevada, has been taking her daughters and their girl scout troops f to Evelyn Mount’s house for over a decade. They set up food drives at the local public schools and go to her house multiple times before the holidays to bring the food and clothing donations. They spend hours packing large meals with the other volunteers.
“What Evelyn Mount is doing for our community is such an amazing thing, and the least we can do is help her out,” Parmer said. “It’s also such an important thing for kids to experience, they really see how fortunate they are and are so eager to go and help people. The value of philanthropic service can never be stressed and installed early enough.”
As we are nearing the holiday season, lets remember the importance of giving back.
There are plenty of things that Evelyn is always in need of and continuously collecting. Food, frozen, fresh produce, and canned is always in demand. Clothing, new or used, and in sizes from newborn to adult is always appreciated. “Special Donations” are also needed including a building without stairs to store food and clothing with a kitchen, restroom, and work area. Also, a box van truck in good condition is needed to transport donated items.
To learn where to donate click here.
Volunteers are always appreciated. All volunteer work is done at Mount’s home.
If you or someone you know needs help, register in person at 2530 Cannan Street Reno Nevada or call (775) 356-0238.
amandaparmer 