Shari Rightmer empowers homeless and hungry in Taft

“While it seems like everyone is scrambling to figure out what to do in the face of the virus, Shari [Rightmer] has mobilized her homeless army to serve the Taft community.”

In his weekly Bakersfield Californian column, which he shared with us, Kern County District 4 Supervisor David Couch recently shone a spotlight on Rightmer. Her Laborers of the Harvest team—made up primarily of homeless people—has been making regular food deliveries to the food bank of our Mountain Communities Family Resource Center.

As Couch points out, with very little assistance from the state or local agencies, Rightmer “has built purpose and love into her service and the…(please see below to view full stories and photographs)

Photo captions:

Rightmer delivering dozens of cartons of food to the Family Resource Center.

Every afternoon, Shari Rightmer (center of photo) and her team staff the line to provide food to anyone in need during the covid-19 crisis.

Rightmer’s staff is mostly made up of those she calls her ‘Homeless Heroes,’ who sort, pack, transport and distribute needed food.

Shari Rightmer (above, far right) tells The Mountain Enterprise that all but two of her staff who inventory, prepare, cook and distribute meals and food are deemed ‘Homeless Heroes,’ including cooks who have their Safe Serve certificates. The rest volunteer simply because they want to serve their communities.

Shari Rightmer (above, far right) tells The Mountain Enterprise that all but two of her staff who inventory, prepare, cook and distribute meals and food are deemed ‘Homeless Heroes,’ including cooks who have their Safe Serve certificates. The rest volunteer simply because they want to serve their communities.

Some of Rightmer’s staff wear T-shirts that say, ‘Doing Good for Nothing.’ They even bring cookies and cakes to Taft city council meetings.

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This is part of the June 5, 2020 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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