The holiday season began this week with what could be unprecedented demand for food and shelter in the region, fueled by a flailing economy.
In Oak Park, a line for a free Thanksgiving care package – including a turkey – snaked around the Sacramento Food Bank on Monday morning into a nearby thoroughfare.
"I have never seen a line like this," said Jim Karber, a food bank volunteer. "This is incredible."
Before the giveaway ends today, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services expects to hand out 5,000 turkeys. The number of people seeking help this year is up 20 percent, said food bank President Blake Young.
Police were called in to handle the crowd, which, at times, got testy over line-jumpers.
"I'm very grateful," said Dick Ward, who showed up at 6 a.m. for the 10 a.m. handout. "Otherwise, it would have been a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (on Thanksgiving Day)."
Ward said his workers' compensation money for an injury at Intel in Folsom hasn't come through yet, and he's unemployed.
Eric Tapia, a homeless landscaper, waited with dozens of men at Loaves & Fishes, vying for one of 154 beds at Sacramento County's winter homeless shelter, which opened for the season Monday at Cal Expo.
"Everybody's going broke," said Tapia, 23.
Operated by Volunteers of America and funded by the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance, the shelter is open through the end of March to singles and families.
The shelter experienced overflow crowds 80 percent of the time last January. Spokeswoman Christie Holderegger said it typically accommodates a chronically homeless population, and demand should be less economy-driven.
But this season could be different.
"We're definitely finding the working poor who are coming into our programs," she said.
Under a tarp in a parking lot of the sprawling Loaves & Fishes complex Monday afternoon, men who'd signed up to stay at the winter shelter sat with bundles and bicycles, waiting for the shuttle to Cal Expo.
Tapia's friend Donald Miller, 33, scarfed down a meatloaf sandwich as he surveyed the gathering.
"There's a lot of new faces here," he said.
Finding an inexpensive rental is impossible these days, he said.
Bob Carruthers, 54, sat not far from Miller, preparing to spend his first night at the shelter. He lives on General Assistance and works sometimes as a sports referee, but said it doesn't pay the rent. He's filed paperwork to get a pension as a Vietnam veteran. He said he found himself on the street in April after a dispute at his sister's house, where he'd been living.
"I do appreciate what the county does when they do something," he said.
By late Monday afternoon, at least 52 women had signed up for 50 beds in the women's side of the the winter shelter.
Kelly Carew, 20, pulled her duffel bag into a storage bin, where it would stay until she collects it this morning.
She said a job fell through because she couldn't line up care for her two children, who are now staying with another family. She lost her apartment and said she has stayed with friends in the past three months, but fears becoming a burden for them.
She said she was ready for her first night at the shelter.
"As a single mother," she said, "I've lost everything."
Call The Bee's M.S. Enkoji, (916) 321-1106.
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