Rep. Vargas Names Sara Griffen of Imperial County “Woman of the Year”
Imperial, CA (March 7, 2013) –Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-51) will deliver the “Woman of the Year” award to Imperial Valley resident Sara Griffen, on Friday, March 8, 2013 at 4:00 PM at the California Mid-Winter Fair- Imperial Valley Food Bank booth located at 200 E. 2nd St. in Imperial.
In honor of Women’s History month, Congressman Vargas will acknowledge Sara Griffen, an extraordinary individual who serves our community and works to improve our district. Through her work as Executive Director of the Imperial Valley Food Bank (IVFB), she has strived to combat hunger in the Imperial Valley.
After becoming the Executive Director of IVFB in 2010, Griffen began an ambitious campaign to eradicate hunger and raise awareness of the devastating impact of food insecurity on Imperial Valley families. By reaching out to service clubs, corporations, businesses, farmers, retail stores, and elected officials, Griffen has increased understanding of the tragic plight of hunger facing almost one in two children in Imperial County.
Under her leadership, Griffen expanded IVFB’s Backpack Program which provides backpacks of food to children in 35 rural and city-center schools. Through a Feeding America/Wal-Mart Foundation grant, Griffen was able to begin a Mobile Food Bank that serves quality food to residents in remote areas such as Niland, Salton Sea, Bombay Beach, Ocotillo, and Winterhaven. Griffen continues to elevate awareness of programs like CalFresh and strives to expand IVFB’s ability to make a lasting contribution to the Imperial Valley.
“It gives me great pleasure to honor Sara Griffen for her tremendous accomplishments,” said Congressman Vargas. “I have had the privilege of working alongside Sara for the past several years and it is hard to imagine a more dedicated and compassionate individual. Her tireless efforts to combat the heartbreaking tragedy of hunger plaguing the Imperial Valley are truly exceptional. I look forward to continue working with her towards a future where no man, woman, or child goes hungry.”
Vargas represents California’s 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire US/Mexico border. Vargas represented the 40th California State Senate District from 2010-2012, the 79th California State Assembly District from 2000 – 2006 and served on the San Diego City Council from 1993 – 2000.