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.

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:

ORGANIZATION	COUNTY
Bonney Lake Food Bank	Pierce
Community Action of Skagit County	Skagit
Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation	Thurston
North Kitsap Fishline	Kitsap
Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need	Skagit
South County Area Human Services Alliance	King
South Puget Sound Habitat For Humanity	Thurston
The Suquamish Tribe	Kitsap
Vadis	Pierce

[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 21^st. Retiring Executive Director, Lori Maxim, will be staying on through February 23^rd 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.

Due to anticipated freezing weather conditions, the Poulsbo Gateway Church Severe Weather Shelter will be open Monday, February 13 and Tuesday, February 14, 2023. Hours of operation will be from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. Guests will not be able to check into the shelter after 9:00 p.m. If no guests have checked into a shelter location by 9:00 p.m., that location will close for the evening.

Location:

Gateway Fellowship, West Wing Building
18901 8th Ave NE
Poulsbo, WA

Fishline and Town & Country Market-Poulsbo are partnering for the “Souper Bowl” on February 17th, from 11am-5pm at the T&C Poulsbo main entrance area to hand out free cups of soup upon donating to Fishline. The soup for this event will be clam chowder!

Plus, if you donate $25 or more, you get a free Fishline branded bowl with your soup!

Town & Country is located Here!