SEQUIM — Hunger doesn’t take a holiday, and so neither does the Sequim Food Bank.
Stephen Rosales, food bank president, remained on call on Christmas Day, delivering the food needed for a good family dinner to anyone who phoned him.
By 2 p.m. Thursday, Rosales had made deliveries to three families. His two daughters, Elizabeth and Ashley, helped.
The families were both grateful and surprised that the food bank was not only open but also making deliveries on Christmas, he said.
“People are hungry 365 days out of the year,” Rosales said. “To go out today doesn’t bother me.”
That attitude, Rosales said, is embraced also by Nina Fatherson, the food bank’s executive director, who delivers food on any day that she gets a request.
Because of icy streets, several families were unable to pick up goods at the food bank at 144 W. Alder St. this week, Rosales said.
He said the food bank intends to keep its doors open on Christmas next year as well.
The food deliveries included frozen turkey and ham, turkey breast, milk, eggs, bread and potatoes.
Rosales said the deliveries were made possible by donations from people in the Sequim community.
“We’re pretty excited about how the community has responded,” he said. “The donations have been wonderful.”
Christmas cards
Not not all of the donations have come in the form of edible items.
Rosales said a woman recently gave the food bank six Christmas cards with $100 each to donate to needy people.
Recipients of the cards included a single mother who had lost her job, a father and husband who was out of work, grandparents raising their granddaughter, children who lost their father in a car wreck and a woman who came to the food bank yesterday crying, saying that she didn’t have money to buy food for her children.
For more information about the food bank, phone 360-683-1205.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@ peninsuladailynews.com.
