Food Bowl 2019 has wrapped up and all the people involved deserve a big THANK YOU. It is hard to believe that in two short weeks the students of Montesano collected all that food and cash donations for the Montesano Food Bank. What a super group of students. Under the supervision of April Pocklington, they coordinated this effort and provided much needed resources for the Food Bank. Without this fundraiser, the Food Bank would not be able to operate at the same level.
We did hit a snag this year when the donated food was held captive in the truck, due to a combination of problems. We usually have the high school students unload the truck, but we had to abandon that plan and Coastal Harvest brought the food to us on Jan. 2n. This year it was roughly 10,000 pounds. The following day, the food was sorted, repacked and stacked back on pallets for storage. We were able to get trustee’s from the jail and along with a group of Food Bank volunteers the task got completed in a matter of hours. A lot of work, but over the years it has been fine-tuned, and it’s amazing to see the efficiency.
The students collected roughly $30,000 this year. This is the lifeblood of the Food Bank. It allows us the opportunity to purchase the items that we need. We receive a certain amount of food items donated through Northwest Harvest and Coastal Harvest, but we spend an additional $3,000 a month to obtain the needed products. Most of our expenditures are local and many of them provide us with discounts. Thriftway has been very accommodating and even delivers the food to our back door! Rancho Alegre is another business that works closely with us regarding fresh fruit. Please keep in mind, Montesano Food Bank has no paid staff. Everyone involved is a volunteer and their time is 100% donated. Every cent donated is utilized for the program.
Each year, I am amazed at the generosity of this community. I am proud to live in a community where neighbors are helping neighbors who are less fortunate. The students at Montesano High School who coordinate this program deserve an A+ for their efforts. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thank you again for your donations.
Doug Iverson
Director, Montesano Food Bank
