Everyday Heroes

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, our Executive Director, had issues with her furnace.  She called on Poulsbo Heating and Cooling and the repairman instantly recognized her from Fishline.  He lamented that, after helping so many others have a warm home, it just didn't seem right for her to have a cold one.  In an act of spontaneous generosity, he repaired the furnace without cost.  

For 12 weeks through the holiday season, ROTARY CAN DO collected different types of food during their regular Friday morning meetings.  Every week, they added an inch of string, representing a pound of food collected.  The campaign started with a few feet of string, and by the end wrapped around the entire meeting space.  At the end, Rotary brought in over 1330+ lbs of food, 127lbs of ham and turkey AND $1020+ of monetary donations! 

One Saturday morning, a gentleman named Gary came to the back door of Fishline and asked if we could use a few brand new electric blankets, with the price tags still on them! He dropped off 20 of them and said he would return on Monday with more.  He asked specifically that they go to our elderly clients to help save on their heating bills! 

The local Kiwanis club typically donates $5 each to bring their district governor to the meetings, a sort of mileage reimbursement.  Since this person lives locally, he asked that the Kiwanians donate the collection to Fishline and we received a check for $110.

The Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association hosted visits from Thanksgiving to Christmas with Santa and collected money and food donations.  After Christmas they donated $960 plus food to Fishline. 

On a Wednesday evening, when Fishline was open late, here seemed to be an extraordinary number of food donations from individual citizens.  People were stopping in all evening, bringing cans and boxed meals and other fun stuff.  But to cap it off, one couple came in and found each and every volunteer who was working and gave them $10 each.  No questions, no names, just holiday generosity.

Our local fire department showed up at Fishline's door before Christmas with over 443lbs of food donations that they had collected during their holiday food drive. 

Early Christmas Eve, someone was POUNDING on Second Season's door after closing.  The volunteers working were hesitant to open it.  When they did, they found several junior high age girls and their mothers.  They had been playing music out on the main street with a sign that all donations would go to Fish Line and they had a WAD of cash -- over $40!  Great kids and just so happy!  They had a fun time playing and people kept giving!  Then they were so sad that we were closed, but caught the volunteers at the back door.  Such a fun thing on Christmas Eve!

In the last few weeks, volunteers and construction professionals have stepped forward to work on the new building project. The work has happened quickly --  a family has stepped forward to clear out the brush behind the building, other groups have come in to do clean up work, a painter has volunteered his time to paint the walls. 

These examples (and many more!!) week after week through the holiday season left us in awe of the many different ways people found to give.  These special acts of kindness from private citizens, organizations, and businesses mean so much, especially to make sure that those in need have enough during Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We so appreciate these holiday Hunger Heroes!

As we begin the new year, we hope you will join us to fill our Hunger Heroes food drive and event calendar.  This important program is designed to highlight the everyday heroes that contribute to Fishline beyond the holiday season.  Contact us at nkfishline@gmail.org to include your event!

North Point Church Announces the First of Their Hunger Hero Events!

NK Fishline is happy to introduce North Point Church as one of our Hunger Heroes!  Fishline services are needed all year, so we want to encourage a steady influx of food drives and events to meet those needs. By identifying and organizing this activity through the Hunger Heroes campaign, we hope to fill our calendar so that those in need in our community are cared for all year long. 

North Point Church has stepped up to meet that need, and has planned monthly events throughout the year that focus on creating a constant conversation about the ways that people can help those in need in our community.  North Point has been a long time supporter of our food bank.  As the main sponsor of Big Band Dance near the holidays, the event draws in over $5,000 and is typically our biggest fundraiser aside from those arranged by Fishline.  We are pleased to highlight all of these planned events as part of our Hunger Heroes calendar.

In July, North Point will be a weekend drop-off location for one of our most needed items:  fresh garden vegetables.  A wagon will be available to collect items at the entry of the church and on Sundays, when our food bank is normally closed and cannot accept donations. Feel free to come in and have a donut and coffee when dropping off your fresh produce!!

In August, the church will begin to collect supplies for our School Supply Drive and food for our Food for Thought Program.  Stay tuned to hear more about all that North Point has planned!

CenturyLink Will Be Holding Company Wide Food Drive June 3-7 and Matching Donations!

Next week, June 3 – 7, 2013, CenturyLink will be holding their company-wide 2013 Backpack Buddies Feed the Children Food Drive.

In an effort to support the rising issue of childhood hunger, CenturyLink will hold a company-wide food drive focused on supporting local food banks and backpack programs. Local CenturyLink employees have chosen North Kitsap Fishline Backpack Friends Program (Food for Thought) as their 2013 beneficiary for Kitsap County.

Each summer community food banks see a spike in requests due to the fact that kids are out of school and not receiving school lunches. Fishline is no exception!  
 
All donations contributed through this drive will be matched with a donation of up to $1 per pound (up to 1 million pounds total) by the CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation.
 

How you can participate:

Take non-perishable food items to Fishline at 18916 NE 3rd Avenue, Poulsbo, (visit our website for hours) and be sure to tell them it is for the CenturyLink Food Drive, so your donation will be matched, or write a check to the North Kitsap FISHLINE Backpack Friends and send to CenturyLink, ATTN: Jan Kampbell, 8102 Skansie Avenue, Gig Harbor, WA 98332.
 
Items that would be great for this food drive are: crackers, granola bars, canned pasta and soups, Easy Mac, applesauce and other easy–to-prepare items. The goal is that a child can prepare the food without adult supervision, should that be necessary.

Learn How to Become a Hunger Hero!

Why Hunger Heroes?
​
Hunger has no season. Fishline services are needed all year, so we want to encourage a steady influx of donations to meet those needs. By identifying and organizing this activity through the Hunger Heroes campaign, we hope to fill our calendar so that those in need in our community are cared for all year long. We ask that organizations, groups and individuals to “adopt” Fishline at least once per year. In this time, the kind hearts and creative spirit of your group can decide upon the best way to come together to contribute to Fishline’s mission. Whether it be raising funds, gathering food, sponsoring a Food for Thought child as a Backpack Friend or even volunteering, there are no limits to the ways that you can help Fishline in its mission to end hunger and homelessness in North Kitsap. 
​
How do you get started?
​
Once you and your group decide upon a week that works for you, we will include your commitment in our master calendar. If you have already planned an event or host one annually, let us know! With your permission, we will help promote your ideas, using signs, posters and online media announcements to help assure the success of your mission.
This manual will help you get started, hopefully sparking some ideas while describing some guidelines that will help you succeed.

But the greatest reward of all is knowing that you have contributed to a community free of want, comprised of caring and compassionate neighbors who take care of each other. We thank you for your ongoing support of this important mission as one of our Hunger Heroes.

JUMP START YOUR MISSION
​
Food Drives: Fishline distributes over 1200 cans of chili, 600-800 jars of peanut butter and 600-800 boxes of cereal each month. Nothing helps us more than regular food donations, especially in the months of Feb/Mar and Aug/Sept.
​
Pet Food Drive: Don’t forget our best friends. We always need dog and cat food and other pet supplies.
​
Spare Change Drive: For a period of time, set aside your spare change as a donation to Fishline. Ask your friends, neighbors and co-workers to do the same.
​
Party or Dance with Silent Auction: Come together to dance and enjoy your friends all in the name of a good cause. Thanks to the donated items that are sold in a silent auction, as well as a small ticket price, thousands of dollars can be raised.
​
Thrift Item Collections: Gather up new or gently-used clothing or house wares from your circle of friends or coworkers and bring them to Second Season Thrift Store. Proceeds from our thrift store go directly to helping our clients.
​
“Kids for Kids” Food Drive: Get the children involved and teach them valuable life lessons by encouraging drives by the children on be-half of other children. By collecting items needed in our Backpack program, such as juices, granola bars and fruit cups, kids get the reward of knowing they are helping kids in need.

Develop your own Hunger Hero mission!
 
We are amazed by the inventive, creative ways our community has developed to help Fishline. You and your team of heroes can unleash your innovative spirits and come up with an event or idea perfect for you. Here are some new twists that have worked for others:

Challenges: Have different departments/grades challenge each other to see who will raise the most meals or money. Keep a running tally posted in a visible area. Offer an award or reward to the winning group.

Game Night/Lunch: Host a game night or lunch party with your friends and co-workers. The host provides refreshment and maybe prizes. Then each guest will bring a donation as their entry free to the party.

“Eat in for Hunger”: Encourage employees or students to bring a brown bag lunch and donate the money they would have spent on lunch.

Commit to a regular volunteer shift: A local bank sends a member of its staff every Thursday morning to volunteer at Fishline and pays them as if they were working at the Bank. Employees love it and look forward to their turn.

Should you let Fishline know of the drive before it happens?

​ We are always glad to know of these events in advance, because we want to collaborate with you in assuring its success. We can:
 
Assist you in planning based on our experience over the years;
Provide printed materials for your use, including our logo

Advertise your event on our web site, social media and newsletter;
 
Provide barrels for your use and arrange pickup of food if you can’t deliver it.

Contact us at director@nkfishline.org to become a Hunger Hero today!!