THE BREMERTON FOODLINE Putting Food on the Table One

Putting Food on the Table One Family at a Time
THE BREMERTON FOODLINE
SUMMER 2014
PAGE ONE
Come Join Our Team!
Board of Directors - 2014
President - Earl Burt
Director’s Message:
Vice President - Kate Cofer
GOT MILK? I’m sure you
have seen words that are
variations on this question.
Many clients who come to
the BFL are part of the
SNAP or EBT program (new
name for food stamps). But,
sometimes they run out of
essential nutrition items like
milk. These are some of our
upcoming strategic actions
to help our clients.
Treasurer - Christine Davis
Secretary - Emily Hatt
Mike Benefiel
Kimberly Faullkner
Catherine Jett
Richard LeMieux
Glenn Manney
Scott Menard
If you stop by in the next few
weeks, we will be adjusting
the physical arrangement of
the shopping area as well as
new shopping lists. We
evaluated the results of a
spring client survey of more
than 100 client families to
compare our program with
other local food assistance
agencies. We think we can
make some improvements
with little or no added cost.
Tara Pate
Steve Zemcik
Staff
Exec. Director, Patti Peterson,
Operations Supervisor, (hiring)
Office Coordinator, & Outreach
Services, Minta MacPherson,
Driver,
Ron Gearns
Inside this issue:
What’s Happening?
2
BFL Calendar
2
Get In The Know!
3
We Love Our Volunteers, Advocate, School
Supplies Needed, &
Working Together
3
In Memoriam
Save The Dates
Our Wish List
Part of our new planning
includes evaluating priorities
for our shelves. We are
starting to direct donor dollars towards items like shelf
stable milk cartons. Of
course, we would welcome
your direct donations for any
food… we get great buys
and are always searching
for food bargains to fill the
shelves.
We are also emphasizing
food drives trying to sched3 ule at least two food drives a
4 month under our coordination and offering food drive
4 packets to help organiza-
tions who want to put on a
food drive. The summer
months are slow and we are
notifying our friends that food
drives really help.
We think these actions will
help clients to get what they
need for emergency food. If
you have some suggestions or
want to help, please contact
Patti or Minta.
Summer is the time school is
out and free school lunches
are not available in every
neighborhood. We are continuing our “Summer Kids Bags”
again and providing extra supplemental food to families with
school aged children. We are
able to do this program with
your help because of the
funds from our “Empty Bowl
2014” event, THANK YOU!
We believe that we can empower our client families further by giving them the information to resolve their problems. Each day we share
local assistance information
and news. This summer, families with kids will also receive
a schedule of school district
sponsored free breakfasts &
lunches, a schedule of activities with meals put on as a
part of the Bremerton Parks
department, and fun low cost
events like the Bremerton
Parks Summer event program
and Seefilm Cinemas summer
movies. This stretches family
dollars and provides fun opportunities for all children.
Coming together as a community to keep kids on track for
wholesome activities makes
sense!
We hope you will see us out
and about working with the
community. You can keep in
touch by accessing the website or our Facebook postings to get the latest information. Let us know if you
can help!
From My Heart to Yours,
Patti
President’s Message:
The Board of Directors always
needs new members who
want to direct the programs
and policies of the Bremerton
Foodline. We would welcome
your help! Please contact
the office to obtain an application.
Thank you for being a friend to
the Bremerton Foodline!
Earl
Food for Thought:
A small sign in a local store
says “Someone else is
happy with less than you
have”.
If you can, share
what you do not need.
In our zeal to get on with life,
all of us can lose our way.
This wisdom was seen in a
local weekly counter news
sheet… “You will never
leave where you are, until
you decide where you’d
rather be”.
SUMMER 2014
THE BREMERTON FOODLINE
PAGE TWO
What’s Happening?
Please be sure to notify us of your fundraiser or
Food Drive so that we can acknowledge your efforts
on behalf of the Bremerton Foodline. Here is a brief
listing of recent & continuing donors.
Big Apple Diner—Customers & Staff
Kiwanis of Bremerton
Holy Trinity Church
1st Christian Church
Summit Ave. Presbyterian
Charleston Baptist
Manette Community Church
West Side Improvement Club
Kitsap Physical Therapy
Kitsap Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Our Saviours Lutheran
HD Fowler Co.
Mystic Rebekah Lodge 168 IOOF
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Bremerton Eagles Aerie
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Upcoming Food Drives:
Selected dates are shown on the website as we are notified and include various church groups and organizations
efforts at your local stores!
“Feed The Need” at Grocery Outlet
“Feds Feed Families”, shipyard July through August
Fred Meyers BFL Food Drive Sept 13
Help Stamp Out Hunger 2014 (Fall)
Volunteer Groups: A special thanks to these volunteer groups who made a difference recently:
Key Club of Bremerton High School
USS John C. Stennis
Naval Hospital Kitsap
New Life Church
Chaplains Offices Bangor
Martin Young Grocers
Bremerton Pea Patch Gardeners
Seeds of Grace Garden Volunteers—Lulu Haddon Park
Business Partners: You can make a difference in
today’s economy simply by shopping at your local
businesses! These partners help the Bremerton
Foodline.
Hill Moving Services
Advantage Nissan
Albertson’s East Bremerton
Scout Cafe
Safeway in East Bremerton
Orowheat Bakery
Chase Bank
Grocery Outlet
Ralph’s Red Apple
Amy’s Decadent Chocolate
Starbucks (Harborside, East Bremerton & Kitsap Way)
Dairy Fresh
Parr Ford
Commissary Naval Base Kitsap
Sara Lee Bakery
Bremerton Bottling
Central Market
COSTCO
East Bremerton WalMart
Cash & Carry
Little Caesar’s Pizza
Great American Furniture
Arnold’s Home Furnishings
Windemere Realty
American Financial Svcs
CJs Evergreen Catering
Kitsap Blue Jackets
HD Fowler Co.
Bremerton Farmers Market
Avebury Mystikals
Coming Soon to your neighborhood…
BFL Calendar
Garden Harvest : We welcome your help in growing
food. “Plant A Row” in your garden and bring your excess fruit and vegetables as you harvest. Thanks to
many volunteers, the classes at Bremerton High School
and our friends at South Kitsap Helpline we are harvesting fresh produce from our raised garden beds. Over 100
“Garden Buckets” went to clients to take home. This fall
you can help by bringing in the apples and other fruits
growing in your yard that you won’t use. Your fall harvest excess can provide nutritious food to seniors and
children that would otherwise go to waste. Call us or
check out “Ample Harvest” on line.
Summer Kids Bags:
This is our fourth year of providing supplemental foods to
families with children who may not be close enough to
enjoy the free summer lunch program at selected
Bremerton School District facilities. The kids will also
receive information on events planned for them as the
summer school vacation starts. We started on June
23rd and end on Aug. 23rd. If you want to help, stop
by the office or check the website for needed items.
Read Up Story Times: We are currently holding a story
time, snack and free book distribution each Wednesday
through Aug. 23rd from noon until 12:30. Each child enjoys a fun story time with our staff member Minta MacPherson and her service dog Daisy before receiving a free
book thanks to this innovative program. Reading makes
a difference in each child’s life.
Back To School Event: August 28th from 3 to 5 is
our event to distribute needed school supplies to client
families here in Bremerton. More than 16% of our client
population are kids who should be in school making the
most of the opportunities public education can provide. A
separate section shows a list of needed school supplies or
check out our website. Anything not distributed on the
event date will be held for one month for new clients and
then taken to a local school.
Open House at the Bremerton Foodline:
We are planning another Open House at the Bremerton
Foodline this fall. Watch our website for the date and
time. Please come and join us for a few minutes for a
tour or to just stop by and say hi. This is a way for us to
say thanks for your help!
Empty Bowl 2015: We are looking forward to next
year’s event to be even bigger and better! We are partnering with Olympic College for more capacity and some
new events. Mark your calendar for April 18, 2015 and
plan on coming. We would love to have you join us!
SUMMER 2014
THE BREMERTON FOODLINE
PAGE THREE
Get in The know!
We love our VOLUNTEERs!
We thank each of you who step forward to help. Whether
it’s a special event like holiday baskets, a food drive, or a
weekday hour or two as a volunteer, we love and appreciate you all. We can offer a smile and a thank you to our
friends.
We are so proud of our volunteers! This year at our annual Volunteer Recognition event we held a BBQ and pot
luck on June 7th across the street on Sydney Avenue at
Grace Covenant Church. There were burgers, hot dogs,
brats, salads and yummy cupcakes for everyone and lots
of conversation. This year we recognized volunteers who
have really made a difference. Here are their stories.
2013 Volunteer in Client Services: “Jungle Jim” Lambeth
helping with commodities and fresh produce for more than
1,996 hours.
2013 Volunteer of the Year in Distribution: Warehouse
Manager, Carol Galwas helping with food donations sorting and warehouse distribution for 2,570 hours.
Board Volunteer: Catherine Jett whose photo posters are
legendary and lining our halls serving from 2004 to 2014.
Board Volunteer and Treasurer: Christine Davis who has
tripled the income from the Empty Bowl in 3 short years.
We also reintroduced our other recent Volunteers of the
Year, Helen Jett from 2011 who sorts all those donations
of clothing and small household goods and DeMorris
White who is part of our Client Service team. Both of
these people continue to volunteer each day and exemplify the heart of our agency; they and others make it possible for us to serve so many.
Can’t volunteer? DONATE! Your contributions
help! We thank everyone of you who step forward
to help. Whether it’s an event or every weekday,
we love and appreciate them all. We can offer a
smile and a thank you to these Friends of the Foodline.
Lend Us Your Voice - ADVOCATE !
If you are a registered voter or just a concerned citizen,
monitor the action of our state and national governments. Even now the state legislature and congress
are struggling with the budget. Every day they are
making decisions that affect the bottom line for you and
the disadvantaged members of our community. The
food assistance programs face cuts from sequestration
on top of the cut caused by the expiration of the 2009
ARRA Act. Don’t be a part of the unheard “silent majority”; ensure that every member of our community has
food.
CLOTHING & SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Backpacks
Pencils
Notebook paper (wide or college ruled)
Spiral Bound Notebooks
Ball point pens
Highlighters
Rulers
Erasers—Pink Pearl
Scissors (children size)
PeeChees & Portfolio Folders Calculators
White Glue
Glue Sticks
School aged kids grow fast! We can use your gently
used clothing or new clothing in sizes for ages 5 to 18.
Clean out the closets or grab a bargain and drop it off.
Contact us at 360-479-6188 with questions.
Working Together: Today, more than ever, our community needs to know that each of us can make a difference in
sustaining our most disadvantaged neighbors. You deserve
to know that your donation dollars are stretched as much as
possible. The Bremerton Foodline collaborates with other
assistance agencies and government officials to ensure that
our small part of the community safety net is there. These
include the area food assistance agencies of the Kitsap
County Food Bank Coalition. We come together monthly to
learn about best practices and work together to bring the
community together. You can see information at their website
www.kcfbc.com.
Emergency assistance is complex and sometimes hard to
navigate. The Continuum of Care Coaltion of Kitsap
County is formed from agencies like food banks, housing,
mental health providers, and community care partners. They
provide critical coordination and monitoring of conditions in
our community. See their website at
www.kitsapcontinuumofcarecoalition.org
When we aren’t working within our community, the Bremerton Foodline is working through the Washington Food Coalition, and partners like Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline, all working to monitor best practices and food safety as
collecting at a corporate level to share with us.
The Bremerton Foodline paid staff, even it they are part-time,
makes these collaborative efforts possible. We make the
myriads of reports, apply for grants, look for new ways to
partner, and oversee the daily food assistance programs.
Memorable quotes….
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let
what I cannot do interfere with what I can
do. ~Edward Everett Hale
We make a living by what we get, but we make a
life by what we give. ~Winston Churchill
Bremerton Foodline
1600 12th St.
P. O. Box 824
Bremerton, WA 98337
NONPROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE PAID
BREMERTON, WA
PERMIT NO. 7
Return Service Requested
CFC # 31086
Phone: 360-479-6188
Fax: 360-479-2783
Email: director@bremertonfoodline.net
Website: www.bremertonfoodline.org
You can also join us on Facebook
“One thing I know: the only ones among
you who will be happy are those who will
have sought and found how to serve.”
Albert Schweitzer
Volunteer Positions Available.
Client Intake Interviewer: Works directly with
clients for information on food services and inputs
data.
Volunteer Coordinator: Helps staff with applications, training, and scheduling.
Garden Coordinator: Helps work on planning
our garden planting and harvesting from our onsite gardens.
Please contact the office for more information.
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SAVE THE DATES:
Back-to-School: Aug. 28 3 to 5; donate School
supplies this month
Holiday BFL Events: Nov. 22 & Dec. 20 for
holiday basket assembly Saturdays
Nov. 23-25 Thanksgiving distributions
Dec. 21-23 Christmas distributions
Our Wish List: Check our website for up-
dates on requested foods and focus program
needs like the school supplies for our Back-toschool event.
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Canned meals with proteins like spaghetti
& meatballs or stews
Hot or cold cereals
Boxed meals like Hamburger Helper
Canned yams/sweet potatoes, green
beans for holiday baskets
Canned fruits and vegetables for everyday
meals
Peanut Butter or jelly (12 oz. size)
Canned meats (chicken, tuna, beef, SPAM)
Sundries including toothpaste, toothbrushes, bar soap, shampoo, disposable razors
Desserts in a box like cookie or cake mix,
frostings, and staples like flour & sugar
Disposable Diapers and wipes
Pet food for cats or dogs and cat litter
Garden or Orchard fruits & Vegetables
Note: We are prohibited from accepting partially
used products or home canned items.
Don’t forget… Winter is coming when kids and
adults will need warm gloves and hats for winter!
If you knit or crochet or simply shop for bargains,
think of us for “Warm for Winter” items.
From our Photo Album….
The Empty Bowl 2014 was an
amazing success and raised more
than $14,000 for our programs.
Thank you for your support!
We Love our volunteers!!! Thank you
for your time and talents that make us
so much more every day!
WINNERS! HD Fowler Employees bringing
us bins of food donations and a big cash
donation of $1,438 dollars they raised to
help with food, winning their corporate
contest for the event sending us another
$1,000!
Bremerton High School
Student Gardeners getting us
ready for the summer garden
growing season
READ UP!!! Storytimes each
Wednesday this summer with snacks,
free books, stories read by Minta and
love provided by Daisy!!!