Orcas Food Bank offered matching grant for new building

The Orcas Island Food Bank, following a 25-year history of serving the hungry on the island, is poised to take the next step: a move to its own building. Generous donors who wish to remain anonymous have pledged $65,000 in matching funds, to be facilitated by the Orcas Island Community Foundation.

July 8, 2010 5:58 pm

The Orcas Island Food Bank, following a 25-year history of serving the hungry on the island, is poised to take the next step: a move to its own building. Generous donors who wish to remain anonymous have pledged $65,000 in matching funds, to be facilitated by the Orcas Island Community Foundation. Donations from the community and beyond to meet that challenge will provide the $130,000 needed to purchase, place and furnish a modular building. The Orcas Island Community Church has agreed to lease a building space to the food bank for $1 a year.

The food bank was first housed at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in the mid 1980s, then in a building at the airport, and for many years in space provided by OPALCO. In 2009 the facility was moved back to town and into basement space at the Community Church. Greater visibility and easier accessibility, coupled with the economy, have brought increasing numbers to the Tuesday daytime and Thursday evening open hours.

Use so far this year shows a nearly 60% increase from ten years ago. The first six months of 2010 indicate a 42% increase in families registered, compared to the first six months of 2009. Year to date,

the food bank has served 223 different families and is averaging 60 families a week. The organization is an all-volunteer group, composed of over 30 helpers.

To better accommodate all that the food bank does, a 24 x 48 modular building is planned. It will be outfitted with shelving for food storage, sinks, a restroom, office space and refrigerators and will do away with the need for warehouse storage. The building has been designed to make the movement of people through the process easy and more efficient, and thus enhance the good work already being done by the Orcas Island Food Bank. Public awareness events are planned for future summer dates, to be announced.

In the meantime, donations are gratefully received and appreciated. Checks can be made out to the OICF/OIFB Building Fund and mailed to P.O. Box 1496, Eastsound, WA 98245.

For more information, please call Joyce Shaw at 376-4609.