Our Community Speaks: Fishline Listens

News

In September Fishline sent out a Brand Survey to the community to collect information for our ongoing efforts to improve Fishline and Second Season Thrift store. We loved hearing from you and appreciated all the input! Here is some of the feedback we received, along with Fishline’s response:

A better drop off and storage area for Second Season would be a godsend.”

“We hear you! We are in the process of securing a truck that will help with donation collection and storage.

Once that arrives, we will begin to collect donations in the Poulsbo Village Parking Lot instead of behind the building. This will ensure closures are mitigated and we accept donations whenever Second Season is open. 

“Do you give Community Impact Reports to the City Council?”

“Yes! Charlie will be speaking to the City Council the third Wednesday in January about the changes Fishline underwent in 2023 and its future. Please come in person or watch via Zoom. The meeting begins at 5pm.

“I would suggest you market yourself with a stronger message of your full menu of services.”

“Excellent thoughts. In the coming months, we plan on crafting a case for support that focuses on our whole-person approach here at Fishline. If a person needs resources in North Kitsap, we want them to come to us. Even if we cannot help directly, we can refer them to the correct place.”

“Second Season needs more room and a re-branding.”

“Fishline will be expanding its retail store operations in 2024. The goal is to raise more revenue for the mission and provide greater access to low-cost essential items for our neighbors in need. In the coming months, the older building on Viking Avenue will be converted into a thrift store where the public can shop for affordable essential items five days a week. Second Season will be a boutique with a variety of items, including antiques, collectibles, designer clothing and small to medium sized furniture. Our clients will continue to receive 30% off at either location and can meet with a case manager to inquire about receiving a voucher for free, essential items. Updates will be provided through a variety of Fishline media channels.”


Making Birthday Wishes Come True

News, Volunteers

You can find Tricia Beene and her husband, James at the Poulsbo Farmers Market on most Saturdays, where they serve as “Ambassadors,” answering guest’s questions.

Years ago, the couple volunteered at Fishline, where James was known as one of the “Dough Boys,” the group of men that did the Monday morning bread runs. Tricia was a cashier at Second Season Thrift Store for 15 years, where she and other volunteers would set aside new or very gently used toys to bring to the food bank to give to kids for Christmas.

An email went out to volunteers asking if anyone was interested in distributing birthday presents to clients with the Christmas gift leftovers. Tricia answered the call. Before the Birthday Fairy program was a formal program at Fishline, she would connect with parents who had indicated that they were interested in birthday presents for their children when they registered to receive food in the market.

Tricia would call the parents, learn about their children, listen to their story and in that interaction, she would decide what presents from the inventory matched best with the child’s interests or seek out a donor that could help provide something unique. Over the years, she has helped gift art lessons, dance classes and other special experiences through the program. She says that personal connection was key to preserving dignity for the families.

Tricia would welcome families to their scheduled appointment with gifts specially selected for them, wearing fairy wings, carrying a wand, and with a tiara atop her head. “Just a way to make the appointment fun and memorable for the kids and stress-free for the parents. It gave me great joy to bring them comfort and encouragement.”

Tricia attributes the continued recognition she receives as the Fishline Birthday Fairy to the personal connections she formed. She is happy that she is known as the “BFF” or Birthday Fairy Forever.


Puget Sound Energy, Fishline Food Bank celebrate new solar array 

News

Fishline was awarded $100k Green Power Solar Grant  

BELLEVUE, Wash. (8/2/2023)– The panels are installed, solar energy is flowing and the ribbon is ready to be cut at Fishline Food Bank & Comprehensive Services’ new solar array, funded through Puget Sound Energy’s Green Power and Solar Choice programs.  

The $100,000 granted to Fishline earlier this year was used to purchase the 29kW solar array, which not only reduces Fishline’s carbon footprint, but also reduces its operating costs. This installation will generate an estimated 31,000-kilowatt hours annually, replacing an estimated 35 percent of Fishline’s annual electricity use with solar energy.  

“More than 81,000 PSE customers have chosen to support renewable energy by taking part in these programs, which have funded 58 projects with more than $4.6 million in grant funds throughout our service area,” said Josh Jacobs, Vice President of Clean Energy Strategy and Planning at PSE. “Solar energy projects like this are part of our community’s transition to clean energy. It’s gratifying to see Kitsap County continue to lead the way.”  

Fishline is one of the oldest food banks in the United States, having served the North Kitsap community for over 55 years. Projects like this enable Fishline to continue its mission of providing food and access to resources that offer stability, improve health and well-being, and help create a path to self-sustainability.  

“At Fishline, we work with our neighbors in need to provide a pathway to sustainability,” said Executive Director, Charlie Thompson. “Thanks to the Green Power Solar Grant from Puget Sound Energy, we can now add that our operations are on a pathway to sustainability too. Thank you, PSE, for helping us achieve our mission.” 

Nine other organizations were awarded a total of $753,620 this year. In Kitsap County, nearly $500,000 has been awarded historically through the Green Power Solar Grant program. Two grants were awarded to the Suquamish Tribe the past two years, while other past Kitsap County grant awardees include the Salvation Army Bremerton Corps, Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, Friends of Manchester Library and Kitsap Community Resource.


Puget Sound Energy awards nearly $800K in solar installation grants, including Fishline!

News

All recipients offer support services to low-income and BIPOC community members within PSE’s electric service area

Bellevue, Washington (2/21/2023) Puget Sound Energy, through its Green Power and Solar Choice programs, has awarded $753,620 in grant funding to nine organizations and tribes across its electric service area to install new solar projects.

Recipients range from local non-profits and tribal entities serving low-income and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community members. In addition to saving recipients money on their utilities, the projects will serve to further clean energy in the region.

The annual generation of the projects will total about 450,000 kWh, annually, equivalent to powering nearly 43 average homes, with newly installed solar from the Puget Sound region. The goal is to help local organizations reduce operating costs while also reducing their carbon footprint by using renewable energy they’ve generated.

“Distributing grants for new solar projects to non-profits and tribal entities in our electric service area is particularly gratifying,” said PSE President and CEO Mary Kipp. “The funding comes from Green Power and Solar Choice participants, who provide a measurable way for us to work together toward a cleaner and more equitable energy future.”

One of this year’s solar grant recipients is Fishline Food Bank which provides food and access to resources that offer stability, improve health and well-being, and help people onto a path to self-sustainability.

“Fishline Food Bank and Comprehensive Services is overjoyed to have been awarded the PSE solar power grant,” Executive Director Lori Maxim said. “Our mission to promote self-sustainability in our community pairs nicely with this opportunity to help utilize renewable energy on our campus. We are truly grateful for this opportunity.”

Recipients partnered with local solar installation companies such as A&R Solar, Ecotech Solar, Western Solar, Sphere Solar Energy, MAD Energy NW and South Sound Solar. The solar companies helped recipients complete their grant applications and will work to have their solar panels installed and producing energy in 2023.

In addition to the nearly $800,000 in grants awarded this year, PSE has provided an additional $4.1 million in grant funding over the last 6 years, resulting in nearly 2,100,000 kWh of annual generation. PSE’s Green Power Solar Grant program will release another competitive funding cycle in summer 2023.

List of recipients:

ORGANIZATIONCOUNTY
Bonney Lake Food BankPierce
Community Action of Skagit CountySkagit
Medicine Creek Enterprise CorporationThurston
North Kitsap FishlineKitsap
Skagit Valley Neighbors in NeedSkagit
South County Area Human Services AllianceKing
South Puget Sound Habitat For HumanityThurston
The Suquamish TribeKitsap
VadisPierce

Fishline Food Bank & Comprehensive Services Appoints New Executive Director Charlie Thompson

News

[POULSBO, WA, FEBRUARY 13, 2023] After a broad search that identified multiple top-notch candidates, Fishline Food Bank and Comprehensive Services is thrilled to announce that the Board of Directors has named Charlie Thompson the new Executive Director.

Thompson’s extensive experience and background in non-profits and similarly run organizations in Tacoma and Minnesota proved to be a big catalyst in the hiring process, and will immediately benefit our community, clients, volunteers, staff, and comprehensive service providers.

“We are very excited to welcome Charlie into our Fishline family. We selected him after a rigorous search process and he was clearly the best fit given his experience leading similar organizations, the thoughtfulness of his responses to our toughest questions, and the passion he showed for the people we serve,” explained Board President Jagoda Perich-Anderson. 

A message from Charlie Thompson:

“Six years ago, I joined the team at Neighbors, Inc. in Minnesota as its CEO. During that time, we expanded the hunger relief programs from in person shopping to include curbside pick-up, in-home delivery, and offsite distributions. Our thrift store continues to provide essential items for our neighbors in need and is a steady source of revenue for the organization. The financial empowerment program is helping people achieve their financial goals and helping to mitigate the effects of poverty. I am proud of what Neighbors has accomplished during the past six years and extremely grateful to the volunteers, donors, and employees for making it possible.

As I join the team at Fishline, I am excited to learn more about the organization and the community. I look forward to blending our experiences so that we can provide the best services to our neighbors in need. I encourage all Fishline supporters to reach out to me and share your hopes and dreams for the organization and our community.”

Charlie’s first day will be Tuesday, February 21st. Retiring Executive Director, Lori Maxim, will be staying on through February 23rd to help provide a seamless transfer of leadership. Lori believes Fishline will be in extremely good hands moving forward and has already begun weekly organizational conversations with Charlie.

“Charlie’s experience, leadership skills, and deep empathy for those needing a hand-up makes him the ideal replacement as Executive Director. I know he will be a valuable asset to Fishline and am so excited to see what the future holds with Charlie at the helm.” Said Lori Maxim.

You can reach Fishline at www.fishlinehelps.org or by calling (360) 779-5190.

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Fishline is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide food and access to resources that offer stability, improve health and well-being, and help people onto a path to self-sustainability. Established in 1967.