On a recent Friday, Jerry Wagner was busy helping coordinating volunteers at the Reno Center of Influence, a multi-faceted operation run out of a large compound on 1095 E Taylor street near Reno's Veterans hospital.
"We did research and found out this building in the heart of Reno and so we started a thrift shop and helped maintain the building and then we started the food pantry next door in the warehouse building. Since then, it has grown and grown and we are feeding close to 4,000 people combined with their families and they can come up to two times a month," Wagner explained.
"It doesn't matter whether we are rich or poor. We all need help. The best blessing anybody can get is helping people out whether it’s your neighbor or someone you've never seen in your life. Try and help people," Wagner said.
Regular Food Donations and Classes
There is a special food donation for homeless veterans on Wednesdays from one to two p.m, and plans for regular and extremely useful classes on leading healthy lives open to all.
"It may cover how to clean your toenails, what kind of water to drink, what is better food ... classes on diabetes recovery, depression recovery and others," he said.
According to the Center of Influence Facebook page, classes started on Thursday mornings in February, with a class called Bountiful Breakfasts. Other planned classes were called Living Water, Joyful Juicing and Healthy Snacks.