December 24, 2014 - On Thursday, December 18, 2014 the Kops for Kids program and the Manna House Christmas Dinner distribution took place at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.

The Kops for Kids program was started 17 years ago by the Mariposa County Deputy Sheriffs Association in their attempts to provide toys to the needy and less fortunate families of Mariposa County.

In 2014 they received around $17,000 in money donations and additional $3,000 plus worth of toys. Mercy Ambulance coordinated the Coats for Kids program and residents also donated twenty new coats to the program.

With the received money, the Deputy Sheriffs Association members along with several volunteers went to the Atwater Wal-Mart on December 16, 2014 and spent $15,000.

Approximately 160 Mariposa families were assisted this year for a total of 300 children. Items not distributed in Mariposa were sent to the Coulterville and Greeley Hill area to be given away to qualifying families by the Lions Club.

Manna House had 275 sign ups for Christmas dinners this year. Included in the boxes were all the fixings for Christmas dinner including mash potatoes, fresh sweet yams, stuffing mix, bread, olives, green beans, candy and a turkey for a family or a chicken for a single person. The turkeys were purchased from Pioneer Market.

Manna House is able to supply these Christmas dinners because of the generous contributions from the area churches, businesses, schools, organizations and citizens.  If you wish to help, you can mail your checks to: P. O. Box 1484, Mariposa.

With California being declared in a drought funding was provided to the Merced County Food Bank who brought 420 thirty pound boxes of food for the residents. Sharon Leroux of the Merced County Food Bank said the boxes were packed with rice, beans, peanut butter, oatmeal, powdered milk, green beans, carrots and stewed tomatoes.