Snohomish County NewsFirefighters serve up turkey
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Kelsey Calvert, 14, serves Thanksgiving dinner to 83-year-old Everett Senior Center member Ed Husarik Nov. 22 at the Everett Firefighters 10th annual Senior Center Thanksgiving Day dinner. About 600 seniors were served. Firefighters and their families served and cooked the meals.
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Sky Valley Food Bank volunteer Dan Valleroy hands a frozen turkey to a client during a holiday distribution event Nov. 23.
Food banks help hundreds have happy Thanksgiving
Local food banks were packed with clients last week as families came for Thanksgiving necessities.
In addition to the constant need of staples, such as rice and tuna, the next hurdle for the food banks will be supplying enough Christmas hams for clients.
“We really like to give hams out at Christmas but we just can’t afford to buy them,” Sky Valley Food Bank director Julie Morris said.
The food bank in Monroe uses donated money to keep its shelves stocked with the basics. Eggs and dairy are luxuries for food banks.
During the pre-Thanksgiving rush, the Snohomish Food Bank had 159 clients come through its doors in one night. It usually sees 90 to 100 on average.
Those 159 clients means the food bank gave more than 7,750 pounds of food that night. It ran out of milk, butter and eggs, Snohomish Food Bank director Elizabeth Grant said.
The line stretched out around the building, with some people saying they would come back later in the week, she said.
“We were consistently jammed,” Grant said.
The Sky Valley Food Bank gave more than 29,220 pounds of food in two days, Morris said.
“I’m just mind-boggled by that,” she said.
That equates to 487 families or more than 2,000 individuals in two days, well up from the normal rate for a whole month.
In a normal month the food bank serves more than 1,400 individuals and gives out more than 70,000 pounds of food.
While the need is great, organizations are stepping up. Monroe’s R.O.C.K. Church donated more than 500 pounds of food two weeks ago and Lutheran Morning Star Church gave 350 pounds of food.
For many patrons, the food bank was the only way for them to have a proper Thanksgiving meal.
Michelle Orr picked out a turkey last week. Orr works two jobs but has a tight budget.
“I do the budget every month and the food bank helps it last with the groceries,” Orr said.
Morgan Olson, 15, is both a Sky Valley Food Bank volunteer and client.
“I know I’d be very sad if I didn’t have (a Thanksgiving meal),” Olson said.
Volunteering feels good, Olson said. The food bank has become like a family for her.
“I don’t have clubs (after-school) or stuff so I consider this my club,” she said.
The winter months are critical for food banks, which count on winter donations to get them through the spring months. As long as donations do not taper off, the Sky Valley Food Bank will be in OK shape, Morris said.
“If (the donation level) backs off, we’ll be in trouble,” Morris said.
If the economy sours further, that could put the food bank in a bind. The food bank clientele today increasingly includes people who were laid off and cannot find new work.
The Snohomish Food Bank still can use tuna, dairy products, pasta and canned vegetables. The Sky Valley Food Bank needs dry milk, rice and baking goods, such as eggs, butter and flour.
The Snohomish Food Bank also wants to have 198 more hams by Christmas.
Both accept monetary donations, which allow the food banks to buy in bulk. The Sky Valley Food Bank spends $8,000 a month alone in food purchases.
“Please remember your local food bank,” Morris said. “It provides more than just giving food, it provides hope for people who are scared for tomorrow.”
By MICHAEL WHITNEY
Published Dec. 2, 2009