Food banks don’t have operating costs or as charities their costs are discounted, deferred, or donated.

Food banks have all the operating costs of a regular business.  They must pay to lease their site (as ShareNet does at market rate)  if they do not own their location and pay a mortgage. They must pay for transportation and delivery, operating supplies, salaries, insurance, etc.

The only break ShareNet gets is discounts or donations from food suppliers we are able to access because we’ve implemented the procedures, documentation and safeguards which qualify us for membership.

The food distributed by food banks is mostly donated.

The bulk of the food ShareNet distributes is purchased, and about 70 percent of that is purchased at market rates. Food drives are great, but they account for less than 3 percent of our total food distribution to clients.

Food banks operate without any oversight.

ShareNet is the registered food bank for northernmost Kitsap County in the Washington Food Coalition and the Kitsap County Food Bank Coalition. There are eight registered food banks in Kitsap County (see www.kcfbc.com), each with a defined service area.  ShareNet has one of the widest service areas, including Kingston, Hansville, Indianola, Port Gamble, Eglon and Little Boston.

ShareNet undergoes annual inspections for requalification in federal programs which serve especially vulnerable populations such as seniors.  ShareNet is overseen by a board of directors who ensure, among other things, appropriate accounting procedures.

An enormous amount of effort is made by staff and board to ensure a sound operation, from freezer logs to financial checks and balances and everything in between.

Most of the food distributed by food banks is stuff people wouldn’t want.

While it is true that the food distributed at ShareNet is rarely the most expensive, top-of-the-line items (and who would consider it good stewardship if it was?), the food is of good quality and getting better all the time.

ShareNet has made a conscious effort to seek out and distribute foods with better nutritional value. Partnerships such as the Kingston Farm & Garden Co-op’s Giving Garden and Grocery Rescue have increased our fresh produce availability. All food donations are closely scrutinized by dedicated volunteers, and items not suitable for consumption are safely discarded.

The food bank doesn’t need my help.

ShareNet does need your help. We have a generous community and we like to talk about that, but even with all the generosity bestowed upon us, ShareNet operates on a very narrow margin.  Imagine your food budget at home, and how you shake your head every time you’ve reviewed your grocery receipt in recent years, and scale that up to providing more than 13,000 instances of food service annually as we did in 2012.

If you are unable to help financially, please consider a gift of your time by becoming a regular volunteer.

Food banks only help with food.

Hygiene products can be as expensive as food.  ShareNet realized if our clients didn’t have soap, toothpaste, deodorant, etc., it was going to be even harder for them to find a way forward, whether that was getting a job or preserving their personal dignity in a time of crisis, so we started providing these products.

Diapers and other infant needs are a huge concern for families in need, so we serve that need.

ShareNet has helped hundreds of locals hang on to their home or heat through our eviction and power shut-off prevention assistance.

Food banks end up serving deadbeats.

Working at a food bank challenges all your assumptions about life and people.  Join us as a volunteer or come down any open food bank day for a visit, and you will see as wide a variety of people as exists in our community, an exact reflection of the community itself.

Hard times can happen to anyone. Statistically, the majority of those we serve are underemployed, seniors, and people who live with serious medical issues or disabilities.

— Mark Ince is executive director of ShareNet.