By MARY NADER

North Kitsap Fishline

In a small shadowbox in my office sits the pen that signed Fishline into existence 50 years ago in April.

The caring and pioneering church volunteers who held that pen, sitting in a one-room office with a single desk and a few shelves, were creating what would turn out to be one of the first food banks in the world.

From that humble start, and with its ear close to the ground and its heart open, Fishline began its journey of providing for its North Kitsap neighbors. Whether it was transportation to the doctor, help with rent or electric bills or a box of food, the focus was the same then as it is today — to provide food and emergency services to those going through hard times.

As the years have gone on, the community has grown and the challenges have become more complex. Economic pressures are exacerbated by mental illness, domestic violence or substance abuse. Patterns of unemployment may require counseling, mentorship or coaching. Escalating costs of living, led by housing, place some in jeopardy for the first time in their lives. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable in conditions like this, and they are often unable to navigate options without assistance.

These are big-city issues that have found their way into our small town, and we are responding with our best ideas to protect the quality of life that makes our community so special. Though these vexing problems are not unique to our town, we have many things going for us that can help us tackle them with innovation, compassion and the most effective practices we know.

That’s why in the spring, when we break ground on our new Fishline Center, we will pave the way for a modern, practical and flexible facility that will improve our food bank while making space for our Comprehensive Services Center, a centralized and integrated social services facility.

Inviting partners to provide services not already available in North Kitsap, we can create “one stop” access to help with mental health, employment, financial education, domestic violence victim support, senior and veterans’ support, and other services we know are most needed.

When there is “no wrong door,” fragile clients can tell their stories once and then a coordinated plan can be built that draws in the assistance needed. Clients work in partnership with helping agencies, and success is measured by how quickly and effectively someone gets back on their feet and whether sustainable progress is made.

It’s hard to do your best thinking when life is unraveling around you. During these times, solid support and encouragement become the buoys that can keep troubled neighbors afloat — but it is the provision of targeted services and case management that can bring lasting progress.

Offering a helping place where our community members can feel safe and understood is the reason Fishline was created 50 years ago. That simple mission remains at the core of what we do today, thanks to a community which has decided that no one should struggle alone — and then proves it again and again by following through with generosity, compassion and action.

This is the grassroots power that transforms lives, and that binds and lifts up our community, keeping hope alive in the darkest times.

— Mary Nader is executive director of North Kitsap Fishline. Contact her at director@nkfishline.org.