by the Food Bank Board
When a family moves to Orcas Island for seasonal work or chance of a better life, loves the community and its openness, the education systems offered and the closeness to nature and water, they’re assured a good chance of staying on the Island as bridges are created to assist them in obtaining work and home.
The Orcas Island Food Bank is one of those bridges. Through offering food twice a week at the Food Bank building, the OIFB Senior Outreach Program and association with the Weekend Pack for Kids Program at the Public School, it stretches the possibilities of security and support while this family moves towards a permanent home on Orcas.
OIFB operates with just one paid employee, Jeannie Doty, to oversee the delivery and connections with county, state and local agencies. All of the other hands, seen and unseen, are of 54 volunteers helping the Food Bank to be one of the most successful in the area. We average 193 volunteer hours per month.
How the food bank is supported: Thirty-eight percent by community food and produce, 25 percent through community donations of money, 19% from Federal food and State grant money, and 18 percent products from Northwest Harvest.
For an island our size with a population growing in the summer months, the Orcas Island Food Bank has been able to distribute an average of 4.5 tons of groceries and some personal items to an average of 318 households or 646 household members each month. Your donations help make this happen. Much needed dollar donations may be made online through OICF (https://oicferp.smalldognet.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=1089) or in the form of checks payable to the Orcas Island Food Bank mailed to PO Box 424, Eastsound, WA 98245. Local businesses are encouraged to plan events prompting attendees to bring donations of food items for the Food Bank; and at any time, anyone may bring factory sealed items, no more than two years outdated (no home-produced goods) to our drop box on the north side of the Food Bank building located at 116 Madrona Street; or to the Senior Center, Key Bank, or to the post offices in Orcas and Deer Harbor. There are also donation jars at Ray’s Pharmacy.
The board and volunteers sincerely thank you for your continuing support!
