A middle-aged man driving a Honda sedan pulled into the parking lot of the Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga Friday morning, April 3.

Rancho Cucamonga Community Services staff Jackson Casey, left, and Abraham Cutrer collect $100 worth of gift cards from a good samaritan during a drive-thru donation at Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, April 3, 2020. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Rancho Cucamonga Community Services staff, from left, Jackson Casey, Jannelle Markel and Abraham Cutrer sort through goods that were dropped off by a good samaritan during a drive-thru donation at Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, April 3, 2020. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Sound The gallery will resume in seconds

Rancho Cucamonga Community Services staff Abraham Cutrer holds up $100 worth of gift cards that was dropped off by a good samaritan during a drive-thru donation at Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, April 3, 2020. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Rancho Cucamonga Community Services staff Abraham Cutrer holds up $100 worth of gift cards that was dropped off by a good samaritan during a drive-thru donation at Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, April 3, 2020. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Rancho Cucamonga Community Services department coordinator Jannelle Markel sorts through goods that were collected during a drive-thru donation at Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, April 3, 2020. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)



Rancho Cucamonga Community Services department coordinator Jannelle Markel sorts through goods that were collected during a drive-thru donation at Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, April 3, 2020. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Cleaning and sanitation items are sorted by Rancho Cucamonga Community Services staff after they were dropped off during a drive-thru donation at Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, April 3, 2020. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Rancho Cucamonga Community Services staff Abraham Cutrer carries a bag of goods from a car during a drive-thru donation at Goldy S. Lewis Community Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, April 3, 2020. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

He handed the attendant 10, $10 gift cards to Ralphs grocery store, doing his part to help the population most vulnerable to the novel coronavirus outbreak, those 65 years of age or older, get needed supplies.

It was week two of the city’s curbside donation site where folks can give canned goods, toilet paper, packaged foods, cleaning products and other essentials to be made into care packages by city staff and distributed to seniors, according to Jennifer Camacho-Curtis, city spokesperson.

Those senior citizens who are able can pick them up at the center. For others, the staff and volunteers will deliver the packages to their homes. The program is for seniors from Rancho Cucamonga who have registered.

Gift cards are acceptable as donations, Camacho-Curtis said, for those who can get to the market or perhaps have a neighbor or family member shop for them.

“We don’t want people obligated to go out and make a special trip to a store. They should try to stay at home,” she emphasized. On Thursday, San Bernardino County extended earlier orders prohibiting gatherings and certain businesses from operating to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, the disease that had sicked more than 300 people and killed eight in the county by midday Friday, according to health officials.

The state and county have issued stay-at-home orders and encouraged older residents, especially, to avoid being out in public.

Camacho-Curtis said the donation drive started March 26 and only brought a trickle of donations. By the end of Friday, contributions had picked up somewhat, but the city needs more donations to meet the need.

“It was slow last week,” she said on Friday. “We have been wanting to do a little bit more of a push to make a difference.”

Personal care items are especially needed to complete the care packages, she said. These include shampoo, soap, deodorant, toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Also accepted are canned, non-perishable and pre-packaged food; paper towels and cleaning supplies; gloves and new grocery bags.

Inside the community center, workers sorted through donations and packaged them up. The tables were covered with granola bars, tortilla chips, pasta, crackers, peanut butter, soup, gloves, bags, canned goods, beans, water as well as some toiletries.

“As soon as we have enough to build several hundred care packages we can distribute — that is our goal,” Camacho-Curtis said.

Donations are accepted 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays at the community center in Central Park, 11200 Base Line Road. Donors should carry items in the trunks of their cars and not get out at the delivery site. The items will be retrieved by staffers.

Businesses can make donations, too. Cucamonga Valley Water Company donated bottled water. Large deliveries should be made by appointment by calling 909-774-3804.

For Rancho Cucamonga seniors who are not signed up, they can call the city’s senior hotline, 909-477-2788, or send an email to Seniors@Cityof RC.us.