Valley Congregations Collect Food, Money to Aid Victims of Riot : Relief: In addition to the donations, members of a number of religions provided other forms of aid for the cleanup in South Los Angeles.

Two moving vans packed with food traveled from Van Nuys to riot-ravaged South Los Angeles on Monday as part of a massive effort by Christian, Jewish and Muslim congregations in the San Fernando Valley to provide relief and, in the process, dispel an image of uncaring suburbia.

The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, which averages nearly 4,000 worshipers at Sunday services, collected $146,000 to disburse through four inner-city churches as well as $30,000 worth of groceries that members bought and took to the church.

“This shouldn’t surprise anyone,” a church spokesman said. “We’re a multiethnic congregation--a slice of life in L. A.”

“It would have been unusual if Pastor Jack Hayford didn’t ask us to help,” said Enid Mason of Santa Monica, a black church member who was among 75 people Monday to pack and load boxes into large vans provided for the day by a member.

“A lot of people still think that the Valley is lily-white and doesn’t care, but that’s not true,” said Rabbi Steven Jacobs, whose congregation is cooperating with Woodland Hills Community Church to provide drop-off points for foodstuffs.

Volunteers from a number of churches, including Mormons from North Hollywood and Van Nuys, joined cleanup crews in Koreatown and other afflicted communities the last two days.

From tables set outside the Burbank-Toluca Lake First Church of Religious Science and in the supermarket lot across the street, 11 loads of food and clothing have been trucked to South Los Angeles since the weekend, the Rev. Marlene Morris said.

“What pleases me is that people driving by will say, ‘I don’t know what you need, but here’s $40,’ or ‘I’m going shopping; what can I get for you?’ ” Morris said.

For Religious Science and other denominations, existing networks of ministers and churches often provide ready-made relief channels to the heart of the city. Religious Science donations go to the predominantly black Guidance Church of Religious Science at 77th Street and Crenshaw Boulevard.

The Northridge Islamic Center, which has raised about $700 and collected 50 pounds of food so far, will transport donations to a downtown mosque, Idadullah-Servants of Allah for God, said Ahmed El-Gabalawy, president of the center.

“It’s part of our duties as Muslims to help our fellow human beings,” he said.

The First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, a focal point for reconciliation and relief, may be the most-mentioned destination for donations--whether the givers are Mormons or members of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Mission in Santa Clarita.

Some relief will take time to arrive. A couple who wished to remain anonymous has donated 41,800 pounds of prime-grade meat that will be transported from Sioux Falls, S. D., according to the Rev. Jess Moody of Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch.

“We took an offering Sunday to pay for its delivery,” Moody said.

Most Catholic efforts were centralized. Parishioners were told that part of Sunday’s annual collection for the Cardinal McIntyre Fund for Charity will be channeled this year by the Los Angeles archdiocese toward relief in riot-torn areas. In addition, Catholics wanting to contribute directly were advised to call the Catholic Charities office at (213) 251-3400.

Nevertheless, Father Rand Reasoner of Prince of Peace Catholic Church said Monday that his parish in Woodland Hills will accept donations starting today.

“I was listening to the radio and didn’t hear of any drop-off points in the West Valley and thought we ought to have something out here,” Reasoner said.

The Valley Interfaith Council will accept goods at its East Valley Multi-Purpose Center, 5000 Colfax Ave., North Hollywood, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or at the Boys & Girls Club in San Fernando, Van Nuys and Glenoaks boulevards, between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Valley Beth Shalom in Encino has been designated as the drop-off point in the Valley for United Way. The synagogue, at 15739 Ventura Blvd., also gave flyers to 1,170 students in its various schools asking parents for contributions.

“We have volunteer truckers in the congregation who will transport the foodstuff,” Rabbi Jerry Danzig said.

Congregants from Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City helped sidewalk cleanup in South Los Angeles, and contributed food and clothing over the weekend.

“They were really caught up in it,” said the Rev. Bob Kaufmann, the pastor. Kaufmann, nevertheless, said he worries that “all the goodwill isn’t going to solve the problems without good works to follow.”

Looking ahead, Jacobs said his Encino-based Shir Chadash-New Reform Congregation, aside from charitable efforts, hopes to establish an ongoing relationship with Calvary Baptist Church in the inner city.

“I met its pastor, the Rev. John Bowie, on the street Saturday at a food giveaway,” the rabbi said. “We need to get people and children together even while we work on immediate needs.”