Bank of America Awards Grant to North Kitsap Fishline
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We live in a world of mixed signals at Fishline. On one hand, we watch as the Dow soars to historic levels, celebrate because jobs are more plentiful and homes are selling again. On the other hand, we sit with clients who don’t seem to be included in this recovery but are instead experiencing nearly unfathomable challenges. They can be the kind of problems that send you to your knees, cause sleepless nights and require a humbling, last-resort trip up 3rd Avenue that you never thought you’d make.
We worry as we hear these stories, wondering how we will find the resources to help. We are dealing with sequestration, federal and local cutbacks and reduced donations, any of which will limit our ability to help those who need it the most. We have to squeeze out solutions where there are few to consider. We get frustrated when we see families who have nothing, who come to us simply hoping for a place to stay tonight, and the shelters are full.
Then we get a call from a mother who says her young daughter would like to have a birthday party but, instead of gifts, she wants the kids who come to bring food for Fishline’s children’s weekend packs. They even want to pack the bags as a part of the festivities.
Hearing of a particularly critical client situation, where an older couple may lose their house because the primary wage earner is facing cancer, a member of our community offers to pay their mortgage payments for a little while until other options are located.
A member of a boy scout troop asks what Fishline needs, and when we talk about our need for a new food delivery truck, he answers without hesitation, “OK, we’ll get going on that.” It doesn’t occur to him to back down or shrink from the possibilities.
These are gestures not offered out of fear or anxiety. They are simply the response from loving hearts, doing their part to make things better, one life at a time.
Perhaps we are in a better place than most. We witness the beautiful balancing that life often orchestrates – where there is lack, there is often a reciprocal response. Our community answers the call, sometimes giving more than is needed because our kindness has no limit. These are our Hunger Heroes, ordinary people who in their own way are taking the future into their hands, not allowing discouragement or intimidation to change their belief that things can be better. No mixed signals here – as long as there is a need, these people will find a way to meet it.
This is perhaps our greatest hope and the test of our community mettle. If we believe that we will not be complete until we are all cared for, then that is exactly the community we will manifest. And if each of us did one thing to contribute to the solution, just one gesture that softened life’s blows for another, we might be surprised and proud of the world we will create.
Food for Thought is a weekend backpack program for children who may not otherwise receive enough food when not in school. The weekend packs are put together using monetary and food donations collected through NK Fishline and distributed through area schools that wish to participate in the program. They are assembled and delivered to the schools by our volunteers and then given out by each schools’ guidance office. The weekly food packs are received at North Kitsap schools with happy hearts and gratitude. The children who participate in the Food for Thought program might not ever know the work that goes into bringing the program together, but they surely do feel the love.
Our community partners for the month of June are the many hands (and hearts!) that bring this program together every week. As the school year comes to an end, we would like to recognize the counselors at the following schools for their dedication to the Food for Thought program:
Tahnee Bollert, Breidablik Elementary
Rick Goudzwaard, Pearson Elementary
Susan James, Poulsbo Elementary
Greg Parrott, Poulsbo Middle School
Karen Fick, North Kitsap High School
Ann Brandner, Suquamish Elementary
Carolyn Mosiman, Vinland Elementary
Shawn Adams, Chief Kitsap Academy
Their participation is not limited to the time it takes to distribute the packs on Fridays, but includes the skill and compassion it takes to identify and counsel the kids who are in need of these services all year round.
The program at Fishline is run and organized entirely by volunteers. From purchasing the food, to creating the packs to delivering them every week, many kind and gracious helpers deserve our thanks, including: Caroline Butler, Kathy Loveless, Stephanie Skansi, Riley Quayle and Shawn Quayle.
We also wish to thank the 20 Backpack Friends who donate money to help us purchase the products through the year by sponsoring a child or several children.
If you would like to learn more about this heartwarming program, or know of children in need of this service during the summer or the school year, please contact us.
Peanut butter is an easy and delicious way to add protein to your diet. For those who are homeless or children in need, it is also a very convenient meal option.
Jelly (you need with peanut butter!) With the summer months approaching, and kids out of school — peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are an easy meal that children can prepare for themselves. (Note: we cannot accept homemade jelly!)
Cat food (and dog food) are an important and sometimes overlooked donation that is much needed at NK Fishline. Many people who have come upon hard times have pets that depend on them, and helping to provide for all our family members is important! When picking up food items for donation, please be on the look out for good prices on both wet and dry cat and dog food, our furry friends appreciate it!
Next week, June 3 – 7, 2013, CenturyLink will be holding their company-wide 2013 Backpack Buddies Feed the Children Food Drive.
In an effort to support the rising issue of childhood hunger, CenturyLink will hold a company-wide food drive focused on supporting local food banks and backpack programs. Local CenturyLink employees have chosen North Kitsap Fishline Backpack Friends Program (Food for Thought) as their 2013 beneficiary for Kitsap County.
Each summer community food banks see a spike in requests due to the fact that kids are out of school and not receiving school lunches. Fishline is no exception!
All donations contributed through this drive will be matched with a donation of up to $1 per pound (up to 1 million pounds total) by the CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation.
How you can participate:
Take non-perishable food items to Fishline at 18916 NE 3rd Avenue, Poulsbo, (visit our website for hours) and be sure to tell them it is for the CenturyLink Food Drive, so your donation will be matched, or write a check to the North Kitsap FISHLINE Backpack Friends and send to CenturyLink, ATTN: Jan Kampbell, 8102 Skansie Avenue, Gig Harbor, WA 98332.
Items that would be great for this food drive are: crackers, granola bars, canned pasta and soups, Easy Mac, applesauce and other easy–to-prepare items. The goal is that a child can prepare the food without adult supervision, should that be necessary.