POULSBO — Thanks to the efforts of businesses and community groups, North Kitsap Fishline will meet its goals for food. Energy assistance, however, is another story.
“We’ve had about 25 food drives and right now, we really need donations for energy assistance,†said Fishline Executive Director Sharon Kirkpatrick.
All of the food donations have allowed the organization to feed its clients, but many are still left with the dilemma of how to heat their homes, Kirkpatrick said.
“For some of them, it’s do we eat or buy heat and we’re able to feed them, but we can’t help them with heat,†she said.
The food drives have met one need, but now Kirkpatrick hopes the community can find a way to meet the other.
“People can bring donations in or mail them to us as well,†Kirkpatrick said, noting that every donation helps.
One local business helping Fishline meet its food goal is Allied Cash Advance in Poulsbo Village, which is conducting a unique drive of its own. Branch manager Dawn Eldridge and her assistant Tiffany Hattendorf have teamed up to offer customers extra incentives to bring in non-perishable food items.
“For every five items people bring in, they’ll be entered in a drawing to win a $25 gift certificate to Wal-Mart,†Eldridge said, noting that the company has teamed up with Seattle radio station 107.7 FM, THE END, to assist food banks throughout the area.
“Every Allied Cash Advance throughout the country is conducting food drives and we got 107.7 to be involved,†she said.
Donations between Dec. 12 and Dec. 23 will provide residents the chance to win a trip to Las Vegas to see alternative rock band Coldplay in concert.
Even if the trip to Las Vegas seems out of reach, the person who donates the most items at the Poulsbo Village Allied Cash Advance will win a turkey, Eldridge said.
“Our customers have been real supportive and we’ve already had one person give close to 100 items,†she said as she and Hattendorf delivered a load of food to Fishline Tuesday afternoon.
Donations for energy assistance can be sent to North Kitsap Fishline, P.O. Box 1517, Poulsbo, WA 98370.