Agency's done, but food drive isn't

Julio Mayorga was laid off last month. He talks about it very matter-of-factly and doesn't want anyone to worry about him. Mayorga is the former executive director of Meadows Community Services, a Rolling Meadows-based agency that provided immigration services and financial help to people in need.

Recently the board of directors disbanded the group and laid off three paid employees. Mayorga was one of them.

"The board made a very honorable decision," he said. "It was just because of the economy and lack of donations. The board did it before Thanksgiving and Christmas so people could redirect their donations."

He said the group operated solely on donations, and when two townships cut their contributions this year, he was unable to make ends meet. Elk Grove Township went from donating $35,000 a year to $25,000, and Schaumburg Township went from donating $5,000 a year to $3,000, said Mayorga, who is also the part-time pastor of Iglesia Bautista Sembradores, which meets at Meadows Baptist Church in Rolling Meadows.

Meadows Community Services was founded in 1986 and served between 150 and 200 people a month throughout the Northwest suburbs. Besides immigration services, the agency provided health care, reading programs and vacation Bible school.

Even though his agency closed in October, and many of the services are gone, Mayorga is still helping some of his former clients. For example, he's still running the same food distribution effort - only this year he's in charge as the pastor of the church and not as the director of Meadows Community Services.

"Everyone was committed to seeing it through," said Rotary Club member Deb Caruthers. The Rotary oversees the collection process, picking up food collected by various groups, including Rolling Meadows High School and Harris Bank, and delivers it to Mayorga.

On Thursday, nearly 20 student council members at Plum Grove Junior High in Rolling Meadows stayed after school to pack up 40 boxes' worth of food collected there. The school has participated in the food drive for 10 years.

"It's important for young adults to be aware that families in their own community are being affected by the economy," said student council co-adviser Lori Ann Greidanus. "It was a little chaotic, but the kids really took ownership."

Agency: Junior high kids helped pack food