POSITIVE ATTITUDE- - Manna food bank director John "JP" Gorman, a Thousand Oaks resident, hopes to see more food donations come in, especially as the holiday season approaches. The food bank needs both perishable and nonperishable food items, supermarket scrip and checks. Manna is also looking for volunteers, as several regulars are missing due to illness or travel. It's at 3020 Crescent Way, just south of Thousand Oaks Boulevard. The memory of a starving mother's tears of joy as she fed her hungry baby reminds Manna volunteer Donna Slater why she is there.

"The young mother could no longer produce breast milk for her baby because she hadn't eaten in so long," Slater recalled. "When we gave her food, she cried almost the whole time- and so did I."

Slater has been volunteering at Manna, the Conejo Valley food bank, for five years. She's there every Tuesday, including last week on her birthday.

"People hurt. Without Manna they couldn't make it," she said.

Manna is in dire need of more volunteers who can work threehour shifts weekly or monthly, said John Gorham, executive director of Manna.

Photos by JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers DONATING HER TIME- - Manna volunteer Henrietta Loranca of Simi Valley stocks the shelves in the Thousand Oaks food bank, which is short of volunteers and running low on reserves of food. The average age of the nonprofit's 22 regular volunteers is 65, he said. Lately the food bank has been without several of its retired senior volunteers- some have been traveling, others have had medical procedures. Without them, it's hard to serve Manna's 500 monthly clients and the 2,000 more it helps feed through other local charities.

The food bank serves lowand verylowincome households. It's been struggling through the summer to feed families with children who, when school is in session, get free breakfasts and subsidized lunches.

Manna's food reserves are at their lowest levels of the year, Gorham said. Storage rooms are empty, and many of their shelves are almost bare.

PREPARING FOR HUNGRY PATRONS- - Manna food bank volunteers Lois Ann Baker, a Newbury Park resident, and Jack Chiurazzi of Thousand Oaks restock the shelves before the arrival of clients. Volunteers who help clients select what they need to feed their families during their onceamonth visit are giving out two cans of tuna instead of four or cutting back on canned vegetables so there is at least a little something for everyone, Gorham said.

Families with small children wait patiently for their turn to take a shopping cart into the room where the food is stored. Gorham gives the little ones stuffed bears donated by grocery stores that also give the food bank "day-of" grocery items.

"We call them dayof, not dayold because they expire the day they give them to us," Gorham said.

The children are thrilled to have a toy, but everyone seems even more appreciative of going home with some food. The food bank tries to keep ground beef, chicken, eggs, butter, chili, crackers, soups and other canned goods on hand to give out. There are a few pies and pastries, too.

Some people who ask for help are also on food stamps. The food bank used to feed those who were waiting to get on food stamps, Gorham said, but now families need to come by and supplement the food stamps.

Since Manna provides food for the homeless, the shelves at Lutheran Social Services have also been affected by low donations, Conejo Valley Meals and Shelter director Diana Ortuna said.

"Manna provides the means for us to feed people in need who come to us. They give us microwavable food we can cook here, bread and baby food," Ortuna said.

Manna officials are hoping groups or individuals will help out by organizing volunteers and food drives. Individuals may also come by to help or to drop off food.

For a list of specific needs, call Manna at (805) 4974959 or email MannaConejo@aol.com.

The food bank accepts refrigerated or frozen meat and foods, canned and boxed goods, toiletry and baby items, cash, checks and supermarket scrip. Send monetary donations to P.O. Box 1114, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 or bring items to Manna, 3020 Crescent Way, Thousand Oaks.