CATHOLIC CHARITY'S SERVICES RESTORED.Byline: Paul O'Donoghue Staff Writer It has taken nearly six weeks to piece together the 1,800 client files damaged during the Memorial Day weekend fire that gutted the Moorpark Catholic Charities building. Redoing the files, replenishing the food stocks and negotiating the bureaucratic bu·reau·crat n. 1. An official of a bureaucracy. 2. An official who is rigidly devoted to the details of administrative procedure. bu maze have been occupying the charity's staff in the days since the fire shut down the social services social services Noun, pl welfare services provided by local authorities or a state agency for people with particular social needs social services npl → servicios mpl sociales agency. The charity officially reopened for business Wednesday in a temporary facility at the old Holy Cross Chapel at Everett and Magnolia Magnolia, city, United States Magnolia (măgnō`lyə), city (1990 pop. 11,151), seat of Columbia co., SW Ark.; inc. 1855. Its oil industry has been important since 1938. streets. ``We had to pretty much start afresh a·fresh adv. Once more; anew; again: start afresh. afresh Adverb once more Adv. 1. ,'' said caseworker Janice Lipsett, who has been piecing together client files. ``It's a lot of work.'' On Tuesday, manager Ruben Castro said he began phoning some of the 500 to 700 families that the charity normally assists each month to let them know the service was back in business. By Wednesday morning, 11 families had come by to pick up supplies - pasta, soup, dried beans, Jell-O and other staples. Volunteers said it will take time for word to get around that the pantry is again up and running. ``This is quite slow, I didn't expect this,'' said volunteer Frances Rior-Walker. ``They just didn't know. This is short notice.'' But one of those who heard that the charity had reopened was Lilia Sierra, a mother of two girls, ages 7 and 3, who said in Spanish that she receives food from the pantry from time to time when money is short. ``For us it is an assistance,'' she said. ``They help.'' With scores of milk crates Milk crates are square or rectangular boxes made out of heavy-duty plastic, hardened aluminum, or galvanized steel. They are used to transport milk and other products from dairies to retail establishments. full of food in the center of the chapel and lining its walls, Castro said he is still trying to work out the best floor plan to provide help as efficiently as possible. Castro said the charity will make another step toward normality normality, in chemistry: see concentration. Monday when it resumes its bread distribution program. Recovering from the fire, which was caused by an electrical problem, Castro said, has left him excited but nervous about again being able to provide for those in need. ``It's kinda Adv. 1. kinda - to some (great or small) extent; "it was rather cold"; "the party was rather nice"; "the knife is rather dull"; "I rather regret that I cannot attend"; "He's rather good at playing the cello"; "he is kind of shy" kind of, sort of, rather scary,'' he said. ``I just get nervous if they don't come and I get nervous if they do. It's kinda crazy.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color in Verb 1. color in - add color to; "The child colored the drawings"; "Fall colored the trees"; "colorize black and white film" color, colorise, colorize, colour in, colourise, colourize, colour Simi Edition only) Moorpark Catholic Charities operates its food pantry Wednesday at Holy Cross Chapel. Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News |
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