There has been concern that the Food Bank was in dire need of food items and funding, and the Board would like to apologize for what appeared to be empty shelves.
In the course of a week or season, there are times when certain items are not abundant. Case in point: fresh produce is not as abundant from our Island farms during the winter as they would be during the growing season in summer. There are also times when we stock up heavier when we know a heavy-use season is coming. When that season is over, the stock decreases accordingly and the shelves can appear sparse. Even on a Thursday evening at the end of the distribution week, things aren’t as full as they were on Monday until our next delivery comes from Northwest Harvest and other sources that fill them up again.
We wish to assure our generous and concerned community that all is well at the Food Bank, both financially and productively due to our regular and faithful donors. We are deeply proud, too, of the incredible volunteers that come week after week to make sure the doors are open and items are available for anyone needing food assistance, and equally appreciative of everyone in our community who supports and cares about the Food Bank.
Please feel free to contact us at 376-4445 or orcasislandfoodbank@centurylink.net if you have any questions. Also visit our web site at orcasislandfoodbank.org that gives information about our hours as well as ways to give your time or donations to the Food Bank.
Sincerely,
Orcas Island Food Bank Board: Larry Shaw, Joyce Shaw, Yvonne Ashenhurst, Beverly Johanson, Jeannie Doty, Sharon Million, Madie Murray and George Post.
Thank you for the update and for the great work the board and all volunteers do to keep the Food Bank humming along. Thanks to your work and the amazing generosity of our community,their are options for folks in need.
larry, you should be especially grateful for the chorus of voices singing praises of participating in the food bank so that the bounty continues.
Perhaps it is time to move away from canned goods (which are more expensive), and invest in bulk dry food, like organic rice and organic beans.
As a regular (and grateful)food bank “shopper,” I would like to share my observations – and hope they are taken in the spirit in which they are offered.
Fresh produce is in especially short supply in winter months, when more people than ever are needing food, due to little or income in winter. The “pick two” shelves, are often devoid of anything healthy enough to consider as “food;” – cake mixes and the like.
Suggestions:
1) If the pick 2 shelves are stocked by collected food donations, I ask that our generous donors consider donating healthy things that they would want to feed their own families.
2)Please consider that as the planet gets more and more toxic, more of us will be “special needs” and require gluten-free, non GMO, and organic foods.
Our community is so fortunate to have a food bank and people who genuinely care for our welfare. Thank you for your consideration.