When David Foote, executive director of the Kitsap County United Way, first approached all of the Kitsap service clubs to join together and coordinate a countywide food drive for their respective local food banks, many were enthusiastic and began planning right away for a fall 2013 drive. But responding to North Kitsap Fishline’s concern that their food inventory typically dwindles in the first quarter each year, Poulsbo Rotarians and Lions decided to plan their local event for the first weekend in April, when the shelves are the most bare.

On April 4 and 5, volunteers from both clubs plus volunteers from the youth Rotary Interact Club stood at the entrances of each area grocery store, inviting donations and raising awareness about Fishline’s work and needs.

Our community responded as it always does, with open hearts and generosity, and in the two-day event, we raised 5,433 pounds of needed food items and $2,113 in cash donations. That is the equivalent of more than 12,000 meals, a remarkable gift to Fishline and the neighbors it serves.

We are so grateful that this event was organized on our behalf, and we are indebted to Pat Burch of the Poulsbo Lions and Jim Schlachter of the Poulsbo Rotary Club for organizing it and the more than 70 volunteers from both clubs who gathered the donations. We also wish to thank Central Market, Walmart, Albertsons and Red Apple for graciously agreeing to our request to hold the food drive at their doors. Our shelves will now be filled and, combined with donations received through the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive next month, they will stay that way well for many weeks.

It was truly a weekend of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” and another example of what we can do when we work together to accomplish a worthy goal.  Thank you, North Kitsap!

Mary Nader
Executive director
North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank