PORT TOWNSEND — Ten volunteers with St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Church will provide a Saturday food distribution program at Port Townsend Food Bank.
The service starts Nov. 8 and comes when need is at an all-time high at the food bank at 731 West Park.
“We went from 120 families this time last year to 229 families last week,” Helen Kullman, Port Townsend Food Bank manager, said at the food bank Wednesday.
“Last month, we had 139 new families.”
The food bank, in the Olympic Community Action Programs’ building complex in the Port Townsend Business Park, will be open from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month.
“It’s just getting started,” said Mary Karen McHattie, a volunteer with St. Mary’s.
Aside from getting other churches involved, McHattie said, “I can see anyone getting involved who can get together some people. It doesn’t have to be a church.”
Cash donations are sought to help fund food for the added service, she said.
Kullman said the agency of volunteers agreed to the Saturday program because so many of those in need were working on Wednesday, the food bank’s normal distribution day.
Soaring demand in tough economic times is another reason, she said, with many more families routinely served.
“We have so many people,” Kullman said. “I’m running way over budget.”
Kullman, who has been a food bank volunteer for nine years, said that when she started, the program served 100 families at most.
Last year, she said, the food bank distributed 220,000 pounds of food, 167,000 pounds of which were from private donations.
Other donations come in from Central Business System, Lifeline and Northwest Harvest.
Kullman said the Saturday Food Bank day could be extended if needed.
Food bank assistant manager Shirley Moss said those needing food can call 360-531-0275.
Recipients should bring their own boxes, she said.
Moss said the food bank also has drop boxes for donations at the QFC supermarket at Upper Sims Way and Sheridan Street in Port Townsend and The Food Co-op on Kearney Street west of Sims Way.
“We want to make it easy to donate,” Moss said, adding that open foods and rusty cans cannot be accepted, but personal hygiene items are welcome.
“Our greatest need is dairy products such as milk, cheese, eggs and yogurts,” said Moss, who has volunteered at the food bank for four years. Her father, Bill, from Sequim, has been a volunteer since 2005.
“Most of our volunteers are in their 70s,” Moss said.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
