Carol Ragan was born and raised in San Bernardino, Calif., attended Aquinas High School and graduated from the University of Southern California. She started her teaching career in Boise, Idaho where she became active in many organizations involving children.

Carol was a member of the National Program of Big Brothers and Sisters and was a big sister to a nine-year-old girl in Boise. Carol also volunteered to help students with their educational difficulties on her own time. She loved the outdoors and worked with several ecological groups to help stabilize the environment in Idaho. Her main project was the Wolf Release and Recovery Program. Carol was also the Volunteer Educational Coordinator for the children of Boise.

In 1996, a drunk driver near Bellevue, Wa. tragically struck and killed Carol. The last words in her private journal were, "Ask your heart what is right and follow it." In 1998, Carol's Kitchen was founded in Carol's honor.

Carol's ongoing philosophy was to help those who were less fortunate than herself. To volunteer, click here.

We are a non-profit organization.

Our dedicated volunteers make feeding the hungry in the San Gorgonio Pass possible. Thanks to generous monetary and in-kind donations, we have been able to feed more than 500,000 meals to men, women and children throughout Southern California.

The Grange a Success

Read about it in The Press-Enterprise, below.

In Memoriam

On behalf of the Ragan family and Carol's Kitchen, thank you to everyone for your kind sentiments in light of Jim Ragan's unexpected passing. More than 400 people attended his funeral on Friday, November 11, 2011.

No words can express how much we will miss Jim. His passing happened during the same week as the anniversary of Carol's death, for whom the kitchen is named. Read Arlene Ragan's tribute to her daughter in the November 9, 2011 San Bernardino Sun.

While this has been a week of grieving for the Ragans and the dedicated volunteers of Carol's Kitchen, we are so grateful for the ways in which hundreds of friends and supporters have shown their love and compassion. Carol's Kitchen will continue to fulfill the wish of Jim Ragan—to give back to the community in Carol's honor.

Please, in lieu of flowers, you may make charitable donations to Carol's Kitchen at P.O. Box 364, Calimesa, CA 92320.

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