11th-Hour Gifts Rescue Struggling Food Bank

A flood of last-minute donations pouring in from throughout Orange County has saved a 17-year-old food bank for the poor and ended a crisis for the program’s director, Lake Forest Councilwoman Kathryn McCullough.

After receiving more than $11,000 over the last few days, McCullough no longer faces having to choose between staying on the council or resigning to run the financially struggling food program.

“This takes such a big load off,” McCullough said Monday. “I really didn’t want to leave either job, but I think the public is saying they want to support [the food bank] so I can continue being on the council.”

The council member’s problems started when federal authorities ruled recently that conflict-of-interest regulations barred the Adopt-A-Neighbor food program from getting a $10,000 grant while McCullough was a Lake Forest city official.

McCullough had applied for a Community Development block grant for the program before she joined the council in late 1994. The perceived conflict stems from her dual role as a potential grant recipient and a member of the council that has the authority to help distribute such federal grants.

With the food bank behind on rent and facing eviction, McCullough chose to submit her resignation in order to get the grant and keep the program afloat. But after word got out that the food bank and its founder were in financial trouble, contributions began streaming in.

“People starting coming in right and left,” McCullough said. “It was just overwhelming to see people from all walks of life, from those who didn’t have anything to the wealthy.

“Money from the government, there’s no heart in that,” she said. “This [response] shows that people really do care when there’s a true need.”

She said she will announce at tonight’s council meeting that she has decided not to resign.

Many contributions came $5 and $10 at a time from the food bank’s needy clients, then money began to come in from throughout the county after a news story appeared. One man recognized McCullough at a Santa Ana restaurant last week and handed over a $10 bill for the food program, she said.

The largest single donation came from an Aliso Viejo woman who gave McCullough a check for $2,500 on Friday. McCullough thought the check was written for $250 and didn’t look at it again until she got home that evening.

“I started screaming and hollering,” she said. “There wasn’t anybody home so I hollered to the dog and the plants. The dog thought I was a crazy woman.”

One of the people who worked hardest to help keep McCullough on the council was Jeanne Costales, a Lake Forest resident who is vice-chair of the county Democratic Central Committee.

“I got a fantastic response from people,” Costales said Monday. “One of the things that helped was Kathy’s personal popularity and the quality of services that she provides.

“She feeds thousands of people every month and she provides a compassionate voice on the City Council,” Costales said. “As far as I’m concerned, she is exactly what the community needs. . . . She’s a true local hero.”

Councilman Peter Herzog said McCullough’s decision to remain on the council was “great news. Firstly, Adopt-A-Neighbor is apparently now able to pay off their bills and having Kathy able to remain on the council is great.

“Everybody is glad this whole situation is resolved,” he said.

With the food program safe for the present, McCullough is looking to secure its future by reorganizing Adopt-A-Neighbor’s board of directors.

“We have new fund-raisers coming,” she said. “I’m not comfortable with raising money, it’s just not my forte, to be truthful. We need to get a board of directors that will be out there beating the bushes for funds so that this won’t happen again.”