Do you know it is harder to apply, and qualify, for food stamps than it is to file a 1040EZ to the IRS? Now imagine if you also have a learning disability or a language challenge. More and more families are needing the extra help from food stamps and are already overwhelmed with the pressure of keeping their power on or their rent paid…filing one of these forms is almost more than they can handle. We have been able to help by having two workers from the Basic Foods Program (ie: food stamps) come and assist our clients while they are here at the food bank – saving them valuable time and one more step in the unending lines that they wait in to receive help.
Our new client intake program that we installed in January – has also relieved the long wait that could happen here. What was a 6-15 minute process to register a new family – now can be done in just 5 minutes. We are currently registering our return families in a 2 minute time frame. This is allowing them to get in and out much quicker and be on their way for other places! It also has freed up some time for us to spend more time with a client if they need it….helping them with referrals or with struggles of finding themselves here for the first time.
Visiting a food bank to receive help is “not cool” and not on anybody’s Top Ten List of things to do someday. There is still a stigma out there that if you can’t feed yourself or your family – you have failed. We work hard to let our clients know that sometimes things happen that aren’t in their control – like this economic crisis – and being laid off their jobs because there isn’t any work. We encourage them to look at us as a grocery store – we aren’t much different – except our product is random and we can’t always fill all they need on their grocery list. We encourage them to come to us first – use what we have to cross a few things off their list and then use their money or food stamps at the grocery store to stretch a little farther. They need them to come – they need to know they are not alone in their struggle – we want to tell them “there will be light at the end of the tunnel.” They can move beyond where they are today.
News has hit that the state budget and King County’s budget are cutting out funding for the humans services. By this time next year we will really understand the effect that has on everyone. If the funding doesn’t come through these programs – where are we to turn? Auburn has had the answer for a very long time. Auburn businesses and citizens – have always banded together to help each other. A very good example of that has been the AUBURN CARES donation line on your city utility bill. This is a place where you can pay your bill of (example): $32.23 – and round up to a payment of $35.00 by putting $2.77 in AUBURN CARES. This “extra” is then sent to The Auburn Food Bank – and used to help families pay their heat, electricity or gas bill. This fund has been in existence for a few years but this year YOU helped so much that the amount DOUBLED what you sent last year! We are grateful to you and to the City of Auburn Utility Department that is the conduit to make this happen!
My visit to Evergreen Elementary and to Mountain View High School to present them the school trophy for being the schools in their divisions that brought in the most food/money during the school food drive was highlights of the month! Evergreen Elementary principal and teachers motivated their students by dressing up as a dinosaur and spider man – and (in costume) did the Chicken Dance for the kids! Mountain View challenged the students to empty their change during a “Miracle Minute” announcement. These AUBURN students have given so much to make a difference for so many others.
Our first recipient of the Barbara Cooksey Volunteer of the Year Award – Ted Kenyon – passed away. Ted volunteered for more than 20 years. As Barbara’s son wrote: “The success of The Auburn Food Bank is based in part on the dedication, the professionalism, and the many contributions from the community – and this is especially exemplified through its volunteers. Volunteering is an essential component of the attitude, spirit and willingness of each of us to help others and a key indicator of what is called a communities “social capital”.” Ted understood volunteerism meant giving of himself so others may have a better life.
“Social Capital” is what Auburn has!
Our new client numbers average about 15 new families a day – up from 1 or 2 families a day last year – this has propelled our client visits to over 1300 from this same time last year. Our two dinners are still feeding about 100 – 120 each week and we haven’t had to cut back on the portion sizes. We are not going to let anyone go hungry if we can at all help it! This is why we need you and why your donations are so important!
Some very different donations came our way this month! One of the teams in the Leadership Class this year, with the help from Newcastle Flooring and Lowe’s – replaced our worn out carpet for a beautiful new carpet. Three of our board members and a son of our newest board member have begun the work for a web site! AND, with the urging and ground work from a Leadership Class member – we do have a “donate here” button on our current web site. This program will run through “Network for Good” – which does not charge monthly maintenance rates but does charge a 4.5% “merchant fee” that you can choose to pay yourself or roll into the donation that you send. This fee is less expensive than we have paid for processing credit cards through our current process! You can find us on: www.skcfc.org/theauburnfoodbank/
We are also hoping you might call and let us know if you have job openings or part time work for anyone. We are compiling some resumes from our clients and trying to get to know a little more about them – perhaps we can help in some way to solve your job needs as well as theirs.
Coming up --- June 27 – the Board would like to invite you and your friends to a night of fun – as we host a small dinner auction – FEED THE NEED SUMMER AUCTION at The Truitt Building – catered by our friend – David Allen Davis and the Longhorn BBQ. This will begin at 5:30 and dinner at 6:30, with an open bar. We are excited to have an evening event that promises to be a lot of fun!!!
If you can attend – the tickets are $25.00 per person and you will not go away hungry!! We have some fun ideas for items – Italian dinner for 8 – Mystery Themed Dinner – Family Portrait – and much more! Please invite your friends and join us June 27th!
If you have something you can donate as well – we’d love it!!!!
Email to debbiec@theauburnfoodbank.org
Respectfully submitted
Debbie Christian
Executive Director
