Building Community Connections at Fishline

Fishline has been in the business of helping people for over 48 years, however we are really just an extension of something much larger than ourselves, that power we loosely attribute as “heartfelt compassion”.  Recently received calls from community members drive the point home:

“This kid is on my team and his family needs help, so I called you.” - local coach

“He is here from out of state and is asking for a hotel for the night, what do you advise?” – local pastor

“I want to bring this young Mother in to see you, she won’t come in on her own...” – local pastor

“This family is in crisis, can you help us find them shelter or housing?” – local tribal counselor

If you live in North Kitsap, you live among Neighbors who truly care about you and your well being. This community never ceases to amaze us in their advocacy for those less fortunate, going through a rough time, or experiencing a family crisis.

The calls we receive are calls for help, not only for the individual or the family involved but the community as a whole.

We could certainly choose to look the other way, or keep ourselves in the dark about the brokenness around us, but we choose to stand up and to support a movement for stability, opportunity and success for all who reside here.

Clients come from all walks of life, the military wife going through a divorce and starting her life over feeling discouraged and devastated who went on to become a mentor to unwed mothers and landed her dream job working with Head Start families. The man who had been a homeless drifter for 40 years and who came to call this his home, and now works part time at a local church and visits his mother at a close by nursing home. The college intern who is pursuing her career in addiction recovery and wanted to pay back Fishline for all the help offered to her in her times of struggle.

While we are able to stabilize the storm for most of our clients we want to do more. We want to get ahead of that crisis whenever possible. We want to wrap around clients with multiple barriers, we want to see providers use a team approach to support clients and one another in the journey. We want to see growth in community building projects and support groups.

We want there to be an intentional focus on building natural community connections (e.g., landlords, employers, ministers, neighbors, teachers, community centers, and coaches), and in the case of North Kitsap it is obvious that we have already conquered this important step. We want our neighbors to get help here in our community and without the barrier of setting and keeping appointments in Bremerton or Tacoma or Seattle.

We simply need to take the next step and create a model where we are cohesive across services and where self-determination and client choice are essential to success, and where shared case management is possible.

Will you support us in this mission? Will you be a part of strengthening your local community in such a way? We are in the process of creating something powerful and unique and would welcome your input and support; and please keep the calls coming, we are here to help you build our community to its best potential!

Working Together Towards the Day When No One is Hungry or Homeless

The efforts to increase the minimum wages in Sea-Tac and Seattle shed light on a problem that most communities have been experiencing in recent years. For many on the low end of the income scale, wages are not keeping up with costs, forcing hard-working families to work longer hours and more jobs, yet still finding themselves falling behind. 

An increasing number of families are having to face the painful reality that, even though they are working those long hours and making many sacrifices, their budget numbers are just not adding up. Increasing costs of living are not being compensated for in their paychecks. Each month, there is less discretionary income and less room for unexpected bills. 

This problem of diminishing buying power becomes stark and real when you take a moment to do the math. Even a dollar or two above minimum wage will bring in just enough to pay prevailing rental costs for the least expensive of our housing options. By the time you add the cost of utilities, gasoline and health care insurance, the only course of action is to find another job. Winter utility bills, the cost of day care and the increasing cost of food can't be covered without extra income. 

We hear these stories of survival from our clients every day. After all the necessary bills are paid, there is just not enough money to buy food. Eligibility for SNAP food stamp benefits excludes most working families because their meager incomes are above the maximum requirement to qualify. So having access to nutritious food at Fishline is, for some, life saving. Their shelves would be empty without it. But also concerning is the relentless pressure that so many families feel - as one client recently put it, "I just want to have a life when not every week is a financial struggle." 

At Fishline, we work hard to keep families safe and secure during a life crisis while also offering regular access to nutrition for those living in persistent poverty. We can help stretch a family's budget, at least temporarily, easing the daily tensions. But is there more we can do? 

Addressing a grave concern that 42% of children raised in poverty will live adult lives in poverty, more organizations like Fishline are shifting their focus from crisis intervention to crisis avoidance and long-term potential by offering those who are in need options before the crisis occurs, increasing avenues for opportunity and education and supporting those who wish to further their own security by going to school or learning a new trade. 

Access to living-wage jobs is the most important key to breaking the cycle of poverty, but the reality is that there are not enough of these jobs for everyone. The number of applicants for any decent job is poignant proof of that. Perhaps the more revolutionary approach would be to make all jobs living-wage jobs, certainly one of the motivating factors behind the push to increase the minimum wage in Seattle. 

Until that day comes, we must find other ways to offer opportunity and financial stability for all citizens. This age-old problem is not unsolvable, but like most perplexing problems, it is best approached gradually. To buck macroeconomics, and take control locally to create a different and more just economic dynamic, won't be easy. That shouldn't stop us from trying. 

Voltaire once said, "No problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking." Keeping the thinking going, and drawing out the good ideas of our neighbors then gathering support to move them forward, is the inspiration behind our free community viewing of "A Place at the Table". It is a compelling documentary that highlights the struggles of three families, while "showing how the issue could be solved forever, once the American public decides—as they have in the past—that ending hunger is in the best interests of us all." Join us on June 29 from 3 to 5 o'clock at North Point Church, watch the movie, and join us for the community discussion that will follow. 

It might just be that the economy of the future will change from the grassroots, organically driven by inventive, inspired local communities creating the world they want for their children. That kind of power is available to all of us and can move mountains. Creating a future where no one is hungry or homeless is surely worth the effort.

Village is Making a New Home Become a Reality

Photo Credit:  Nichole Connor

There is a popular adage, "It takes a village", that reminds us that there are some goals that cannot be reached alone. This has always been the case for Fishline, whose mission would be impossible to realize were it not for the legions of helping hands and hearts that everyday come together to lift the burdens of their neighbors. 

But that cooperative effort has risen to a new level as we prepare our new facility on Viking Avenue. From the start, the best and brightest in our community have come forward to offer assistance, services, materials and sweat equity. Nearly every day, individuals and organizations join the ranks of this rehabilitation army and, before our very eyes, an abandoned building is transforming. School kids join with local military groups, working side-by-side with families and church groups with one thing in common - a love for their community and a belief in the good work that Fishline represents.

Miles Yanick and Associates, Architect, has helped us put our dream onto paper and has gone ahead to pave the way with permits, regulations and feasibility. Sandy Wenberg donated her color expertise to help us create a color palate that is soothing for our clients and volunteers. Peninsula Paints has donated all the paint, no small donation when considering the tall walls that surround our market, and Chad Lyons Painting has donated the labor. Swift Plumbing will put in all our fixtures for free, which came to us at no cost because Ferguson Plumbing donated them.

And, in a nearly perfect confluence of events, a total remodel of Town and Country on Bainbridge Island will mean that Fishline can receive repurposed refrigeration and shelving and even possibly checkout equipment, making our grocery store design complete.
 
When we asked that technology be upgraded so we could use a progressive digital signage system to keep our clients informed while shopping, David Graves, our long-time IT volunteer, joined forces with a local Rotarian to fund the system and get it installed. And, when in the midst of all this activity, our precious van needed extensive repairs, Ken's Northwest Automotive did what they have done for years - they fixed it for free.

The Poulsbo Lions Club worked alongside Fishline volunteers to clear out years of scotch broom and other uninvited guests to renew the greenery. Hill Moving has donated pallet jacks and a forklift, standing ready to help us move when the time comes. And Tim Ryan Construction has overseen the project, donating materials and labor while working with our team to do the most work for the littlest cost. 

All of this coordination has been orchestrated by our MVP, Rick Lander (pictured above with a volunteer), who has masterfully and amiably mediated between Fishline and a sometimes baffling construction world to facilitate this huge project, keeping us on schedule and under budget.

In dozens of ways, our neighbors have come together to situate Fishline in a home that should meet its needs for decades to come. There is no way that we can adequately thank all those who have helped thus far and those who will help us in the months and years ahead. We just hope that, when we open Fishline on that happy day this Spring, our village can be proud that it made it possible.





Are you interested in being a part of this wonderful project? Click here to see project updates and how you can help!




how folks can get involved.)

New Year Brings New Hope as Fishline Moves Forward with New Building Project

These are tearful times at Fishline. Not so much because we're sad - no, these are a different type of tears. They are the kind that Edgar Allen Poe most certainly had been thinking about when he wrote, "Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.”

These are tears of joy that come by being a part of beauty, of kindness, of compassion beyond words. What invokes this kind of response is often spontaneous, freeing and even surprising. But it is a reaction that can be uplifting. We seem hardwired to want to feel these feelings, to witness some sort of proof of goodness and generosity in a world so often filled with bad news and reasons to worry.

Watching the progress we are making on readying our new food bank, the efforts and contributions of volunteers and contractors coming together to turn an abandoned RV dealership into a warm, respectful promise of better times for struggling neighbors, has had an impact upon us all. Staff, volunteers and other community members are feeling renewed and inspired by the way it is all coming together.

During a recent open house, when we invited clients to see our new facility, many were obviously experiencing awe and relief. Knowing that we were willing to take on this project to make things easier and more dignified for them brought authentic tears of gladness and gratitude.

One senior said, through his tears, "I've lived all my life taking care of myself and my family. There was a time when we were well off. But now, I'm 86 years old, my income is barely enough, and I couldn't afford food without Fishline. I am so thankful." Another woman, who is a home health care aid and shops for herself and her patient, said "I have always known that Fishline cares about me, about all of us. But this is such a better situation for us, we can park and shop whenever we need to, it is just beautiful."

When almost overwhelmed with generosity, the human instinct is to want to do something, find some way, to return the favor. One of the clients viewing our new space during the open house looked around and said, almost as a whisper to be overheard, "You're going to need painters. I'm a painter. Let me help." This client will join other members of our community offering their support, working side-by-side to help write the next chapter in Fishline's history.

We are humbled by the way so many have come forward to offer their labor, their donations and their support. But we are reminded by these donors that they receive a great gift by helping, a feeling of satisfaction like no other. When a donor recently came in with a year-end check, she toured the food bank and, by the end of the tour, her face was streaming with tears. To know that Fishline's services are offered with such respect for our client experience deeply affected her. It made her feel proud to have contributed to it - rightly so, because Fishline only offers what donors and supporters make possible.

We live in a world that can be confusing. In our hearts, we know there must be a way to assure a safe community where everyone has enough. We are frustrated when we hear that this is not always the case. But moments come in the darkest times, almost as if to remind us that along with that darkness is great potential for love, for hope and for the kind of tears that wash away fear. These are the pillars that hold up the house of Fishline, helping make our community a beauty of supreme development.

Poulsbo Couple Experiments with Life on a Food Stamp Budget (Kitsap Sun)

Susan Herriott and her husband, Jon, lived on a food-stamp budget for the month of November to understand what it is like for clients at the North Kitsap Fishline, where they volunteer. It took a month of hoarding and giving up favorite foods to have enough to serve Thanksgiving dinner for 11, but they managed to do it. (MEEGAN M. REID / KITSAP SUN)

POULSBO — The Herriott Thanksgiving table did not bear any markings of poverty.

Nothing on the table was a handout, but for the month of November Susan Herriott and her husband, Jon, lived as if everything they ate was.

The Herriotts volunteer at North Kitsap Fishline, getting up early to help gather donated groceries from the four big local grocery stores and helping clients.

Susan Herriott wondered what it would be like to rely on the groceries Fishline provides and food stamp income. So in November, she and Jon committed to do it for a month. She documented her experiences in a blog called “Loaves and the Fishline.”

“I did it because I didn’t understand the decisions people were making when they came to the food bank.” Herriott said. “I see them buy what I think is strange stuff.”

She also noticed that many of the organization’s clients were older, past retirement age — much like the Herriotts.

She didn’t get any of her groceries from the food bank itself, but she made regular visits to Fishline’s Third Avenue store and made a list of what she would get if she were a client. Then she went to a grocery store to buy it. What she wouldn’t have received from Fishline, she could buy with $49 a week she and her husband would have qualified for in food stamps, were they living only on their Social Security income.

It was a stretch to not open the Herriott kitchen pantry, which is evidence of an experienced long-term menu planner. But Herriott essentially closed the doors, planned what she could and experienced living with the mystery of what’s available at the food bank day to day.

To read more Susan Herriott blogged about her month-long experiment living on a food-stamp budget. The blog, called “Loaves and the Fishline” is located here.

In November she bought supplies that come in a monthly “emergency box,” or “Ebox,” distributed by the food bank to its clients once per month. Each box contains enough food for balanced meals for three days, according to Fishline’s website. Canned chili and tuna are examples of the contents.

She also bought the goods that come in the federal government’s mystery “commodities bag.” It’s a mystery because the supplies are based on whatever is overstocked, incorrectly packaged or otherwise unsellable. It’s all good food, but there’s no predicting from one month to the next what will be in it, said Mary Nader, North Kitsap Fishline, Executive Director.  Commodities are provided for distribution from a federal government program and are not overstocked, incorrectly packaged or unsellable items. 

The third part of the Fishline program is the organization’s store. Clients are allocated a certain number of “Fish bucks,” depending on family size, to purchase items from the store.
Thanks to local grocery donations from Poulsbo’s four major grocers, Fishline can provide fresh produce, frozen goods, yogurt and mostly free bread.

During the month of the experiment the Herriotts ate less meat and little fish. They experienced the panic of lost food when a dish of spaghetti slipped off the table, wasting some of their precious provisions.

They learned firsthand the luxury of coffee.

Susan managed to plan for a Thanksgiving feast for 11, complete with a turkey and all the sides, by doing without some favorites and hoarding items like cranberries early in the month.

One of the biggest realizations during the experiment was how much time it took to live so tuned into her food budget.

“I usually shop one day a week and go to Costco once a month or once every two months,” she wrote on her blog on Nov. 9. “I find that I am going to the grocery store two or three times a week. I can’t get enough money together at one time to get ahead. Since the food bank limits the amount of some things, I have to go several times a week in order to get enough for the week. I understand why there are limits. The food bank never knows what or how much of a single item they will have at a time and they don’t know how many people will show up in a day. I think they do a good job but it does make it difficult.”

Some of the work included making granola instead of buying it, saving about $9 for three pounds. One day a neighbor brought jars of jam and banana bread as thanks for some compost the Herriotts had shared. Though the neighbor has been doing it for nine years, it took on added meaning during the experiment, Herriott said.

“Today the gift brought me to tears,” she wrote on her blog. “The banana bread is great but what really touched me was the jam. I am out, and my husband almost always has toast and jam as part of his breakfast. I wasn’t sure when I could afford more since I have spent all but $6.00 of my food stamp budget this week. I was surprised at my depth of feeling. We aren’t starving by any means. I have to think a little harder about what we eat and work a little harder to prepare it, but the worry about having enough is new to me.”

The time it takes to provide meals based on food bank donations was a “full-time job,” Herriott said.

“I don’t know how you do this and look for work,” she said.

Carole Herriott, daughter to the Poulsbo couple, was one of those on hand for Thursday’s Thanksgiving dinner. For some time a few years back, she relied on food banks and bargain shopping.

“The greatest invention ever was the Grocery Outlet,” she said.

Making it easier for her were healthy children. Carole Herriott said they ate a lot but didn’t have special diet problems.

“Only rich people have food allergies,” she said.

Susan Herriott said she knows she is lucky there were no huge surprises during the month and also that she didn’t do this experience in February, when food pantries typically run low on supplies.

Nader said donations from grocery stores and others slow down during the early part of the year. Food gets more expensive for grocery stores to order, so the daily donations get thinner, something Fishline is preparing for now by planning targeted food drives. Our targeted food drive campaign is called Hunger Heroes, which you can read more about here.

Before November ended, Herriott was planning a steak dinner for the first day back to regular menus. It’s a luxury she counts among many. The Herriotts planned well for retirement and have suffered few setbacks or health issues.

She has a lot of respect for those forced to rely on the food banks.

“I don’t know how you do it,” she said.

This article was originally posted on Kitsap Sun's website and can read with a paid subscription HERE.  It is also on the front page of today's printed edition of Kitsap Sun (December 1, 2013). The italicized text in gray are our corrections to the article.

A Special Thank You to Our Volunteers As We Celebrate ONE YEAR of Fishbucks!

On July 16, 2012, our new Fishbucks Front Market was launched. After 6 weeks of intense evaluation, planning and coordination, the front doors opened and clients entered an entirely different shopping experience. Picking up a shopping basket, they strolled through the widened aisles and took their time wisely spending the new Fishbucks currency. They noticed the sales on the cool black dry-erase board, they enjoyed seeing the food beautifully displayed and smiled when they saw the prices written on the cooler doors.

 
Right from the start, we knew we had a winning system. Clients immediately expressed their appreciation at the fairness of the system, knowing more food would be available later in the day because no one could take too much. The relief they felt in not having people question their food choices or limit their options was evident on their faces - clients just looked like they were enjoying shopping. Families could shop together and whenever they needed to, another improvement. When we won the 2013 Food Lifeline Award for Client Excellence for our Fishbucks system, it was another confirmation that we were moving in the right direction.

 

We could have never guessed that the system would work so well right from the start without any significant modifications. But the thorough planning of our Fishbucks team combined with the resourcefulness of staff and volunteers has made it possible for adjustments to be made without interruption for our clients.

Many thanks to all those involved in bringing this idea into reality. Our Fishbucks team worked hard and with great dedication to plan and implement this new distribution model. Their thoughts were always on the client experience, and it shows. We also owe a great debt of gratitude to all the volunteers who rolled with the new system, even though it takes more work to price items and keep the food flowing all day. And all along the way, little improvements were made to smooth out the wrinkles, like wonderful new laminated price tags, a new system to attach them and a clever box of little drawers that hold similar price tags together, improvements made by the volunteers.

Congratulations to you on this anniversary, and thanks to all of you for your unwavering commitment to the service of those who need our help. You are a treasure and a reminder that love and goodness is alive and well in this community.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and our Fishline staff, --Mary

NK Fishline Receives 2013 Food Lifeline Award for Excellence

Pictured are many (but not all!) of the volunteers and staff who participated in the Fish Bucks
design and implementation.

 The North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank & Emergency Services has been recognized by Food Lifeline with the Excellence in Client Services Award. North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank & Emergency Services was one of four agencies in Western Washington selected for awards at Food Lifeline’s Agency Conference on March 28, 2013.

The 2013 Food Lifeline Award for Excellence in Client Services, was given to us for our innovation of the Fish Bucks front market distribution system implemented last year. This award selection was made from many entries throughout Western Washington and included a financial award of $1,000.


“Food Lifeline is happy to recognize North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank & Emergency Services,” said Linda Nageotte, President & CEO of Food Lifeline. “Their approaches to meeting client needs are exemplary. In addition we truly value how they’ve made services more accessible to hungry people in the Poulsbo area.”

Ours was a project months in the making, pulling in the help from volunteers, clients, staff and consultation from other food banks. The design helped create a fair distribution of food items while helping us calibrate so there is an even flow of food that avoids shortages or overages. It has also created a grocery-store like experience appreciated by our clients.

"We are honored to be selected to receive this award", said Mary Nader, Executive Director of North Kitsap Fishline. "Our new front market has been a positive change for our clients, staff and volunteers, and we're proud of how we all worked together to create it."

North Kitsap Fishline received this award in 2010 for its Food for Thought Weekend Meal Program, the first service of its type in Kitsap at that time.

Important Tax Information!

Don't forget!  If you have made cash or donations to NK Fishline or Second Season in the 2012 tax year, you can include these deductions when doing your taxes.  

North Kitsap Fishline is registered a 501(c)3 non profit organization.  All money, material, and food donations are eligible for tax deductible donation receipts upon request.  Fishline  spends only 3.7% of your dollars on overhead; 96.3% is spent on feeding, housing, and keeping those in need warm.  Your donations help feed and clothe people, keep them warm and dry and help with medical co-pays.  You help feed children on the weekend and provide shelter and sanitary facilities for the homeless and much more. 

Here is the information you may need:

North Kitsap Fishline

18916 NE Third Ave

Poulsbo, WA 98370 

 

Second Season Thrift Store

18825 Anderson Parkway

Poulsbo, Washington 98370

TAX ID:  91-1244431

Vote for NK Fishline at Clearwater Casino's Fat Tuesday Parade of Service

NK Fishline has entered a float in Clearwater Casino's Fat Tuesday Parade of Service!

Each year, Clearwater holds a Mardi Gras-style parade inside the casino on Fat Tuesday, with parade floats made by members of service organizations throughout Kitsap County. The floats, created on top of red wagons supplied by the casino, are judged during the parade. All participating organizations will receive at least $500 for creating a float. The highest scoring floats in the parade will receive significantly larger cash donations.

NK Fishline was one of 20 organizations selected to participate in the parade this year.  Floats are judged on theme, originality and execution by a team of five Clearwater representatives, including three employees who win their judging seats in a preliminary shoebox float competition held a month before the event.

Here's where you -- our friends and fans come in: 

Clearwater Casino guests also have the opportunity to participate in the judging. The floats are on display until Tuesday, February 12th.  Simply go to Club Clearwater and ask for a Fat Tuesday Float voting entry. Each person will be allowed one (1) entry. Place it in the box corresponding with your favorite float. On February 12 votes will be tallied, the float with the most votes will have five (5) points added to their final score! Voting Ends at 6pm on February 12, 2013.

The parade will be held on February 12th at 7pm.  Come to cheer on NK Fishline! The parade will be lead by a one man band and the 23 floats/non-profits will make their way around the entire casino.  We are so excited about this fun event!

Click here to visit our Facebook page and see all the great pictures of the float that our volunteers built!

Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort is operated by Port Madison Enterprises, an agency of the Suquamish Tribe that develops community resources while promoting the economic and social welfare of the Suquamish Tribe through commercial activities.  Suquamish Tribe is one of NK Fishline's Community Partners. 

Source:  North Kitsap Herald, Clearwater Casino

Empty Bowls Serves a Full Room!

This past Saturday, January 19th, NK Fishline hosted our Empty Bowls Fundraiser during the lunch hour at Gateway Fellowship Hall in Poulsbo.  The event was well attended familiar friends and new faces, we were glad to host them all! 

Guests were invited to choose from hand-painted bowls on tables throughout the room, starting in price at $15.  Then they made their way to the soup line, where they chose from a humble but delicious menu. 

Special thanks to Central Market, who provided the soup.  The menu included Tuscan Vegetable, Chicken & Autumn  Vegetable Tagine, and Chipotle Chili w/ Black Beans. The meal also included warm bread.  On hand to serve the soup were Poulsbo City Council members Linda Berry-Maraist and Ed Stern.

The entertainment for the lunch hour was provided by a group called Time and Tide, a trio of Bainbridge Island singers and guitar players.

The guests included recently crowned Miss Kitsap, Crystal Jimenez, and Miss Silverdale, Jahrielle Davis, pictured here with NK Fishline Executive Director Mary Nader. 

Helping people through the line and on their way to delicious soup were Becky Hall and Nicolle Perisho.

No one seemed to mind waiting in the sometimes long line, especially when they could find others to chat with! 

There was also a silent auction for handmade and painted bowl sets. The auction included bids for items such as a ramen noodle bowl set and large well-crafted fruit bowl, as well as beautiful bowls painted with delicate details like those pictured above.

The turnout was wonderful! Many commented that there were twice as many people in attendance as last year!  Thank you again for coming out to support NK Fishline at this fun community event! 

Special thanks again to Blue Sky Printing and Remington Design for the beautiful posters and donation cards, to Time and Tide for the entertainment, to Gateway Fellowship for allowing us to host the event at the church, and to Central Market for the soup, and especially to the 2013 Empty Bowl painters: 

— The North Kitsap High School pottery class, taught by Rande Anderson. Anderson and his pottery class also participated in the event last year.  
— Attendees of Poulsbo’s Americana Music Festival.
— Bainbridge potter Chris Bristah, who donated 40 bowls.
— Other local artists and galleries, such as Verksted Gallery, and Indi Studio owner Susan Butler.

Severe Weather Shelter Plan in Effect for Kitsap County

The following message is from Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management:

Kitsap County, Washington:  Due to freezing weather conditions, Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management has activated the county’s Severe Weather Shelter Plan.

This year there is only one shelter.

The location is as follows:
Bremerton Food Line
1600 12th Street
Bremerton, WA 98337

The shelter will serve all citizens in our area who require safe overnight refuge where none is available.

For more information about the process, call 211 or call Kitsap Community Resources at (360)-478-2301. You can also visit the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management webpage here.

NK Fishline Toy Shop Now Taking Donations

The North Kitsap Fishline Toy Shop allows parents served by the food bank to personally choose the gifts that would bring the most joy to their children. Santa's elves will assist the parents in making their selections from donated new toys, books, games, and clothing. Items for infants through adolescents are needed. Gift cards are especially appreciated for the older teens.

If you wish to donate new unwrapped toys, books, gift cards, games or clothing, please bring those items to one of the following collection sites no later than December 11th:

Curves​​​​​

Chamber of Commerce ​, 19351 8th Avenue, Ste 108

NK Herald​​​​, 18887 State Hwy 303

1st Security Bank​​​, 19519 7th Avenue

Farmer's Insurance​​​, 19168 - B Jensen Way​

Sport Haus​​​​, 19505 7th Avenue​

Poulsbo Parks and Recreation, ​​19540 Front Street

Poulsbo Fire Station, ​​​911 Liberty Road

First Lutheran Church​​​, 18920 4th Avenue​

Hostmark Apartments​​​

Poulsbo Athletic Club​​​

 

For our clients: sign-ups for the Toy Shop will be taken November 15 - December 6th. Participants must live in Poulsbo or Suquamish and have ID and proof of address.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Food for Thought

Food for Thought is another one of our many food services designed to serve those at need in our community.  This is a weekend backpack program for children who may not otherwise receive enough food when not in school.  Each pack contains enough food for six meals plus snacks.  During the school year, the packs are delivered to the child at their school on Friday afternoons.  Summer packs are also available and can be picked up by registered families at NK Fishline.

Residents of Poulsbo, Suquamish, and Keyport are eligible for the Food for Thought program.  Contact client services at NK Fishline to apply.

We are currently collecting items for our Food for Thought program and are in need of the following items:

 Nature’s Valley Granola Bars
 Tree Top Fruit Snacks
 Pop Tarts
 Indv. Oatmeal Packets
 Peanut Butter Crackers
 Apple Sauce Cups
 Fruit Cups
 Pudding Cups
 Indv. Cereal Boxes
 Beef Cup of Noodles
 Chili or Chicken Soup
 Indv. Craisins/raisins

With the back to school snack sales, this would be a great time to collect and donate to this worthwhile program!

How NK Fishline's Front Market Helps the Community

Our front market is stocked with imperfect but edible items from our community partners and grocery stores.  The self-serve food market has fresh fruits and vegetables, bread and dairy.

If you are in need of NK Fishline's services, the front market is a good place to start.  For many people, the daily market is crucial in stabilizing their family's monthly budget and for others, it may be the only source for fresh food.  The welcoming faces of volunteers and staff is cheerful and warm and instantly lifts the spirit of those who visit.

Clients are welcome to use the market daily. It is open to all in our service area.  Visit NK Fishline at 18916 NE Third Ave in Poulsbo or call today (360)598-5190 to learn more about our services.  

New and Improved Front Market System, Thanks to Everyone!

Just wanted to share this update on the new and improved front market system.  Staff, volunteers and clients agree this new way of food bank shopping is easier for our clients, less stressful and a better way of making sure our food stretch as far as it can.  Thanks to the innovative spirits and creativity of our volunteers, the market looks like a wonderful neighborhood grocery, complete with Central Market buggies and daily specials.  And, most inspiring to see, our clients shop with dignity, able to choose for items that they want while self-monitoring based on a budget.

It was a miraculous transformation to watch - each week, we got a little closer to the final product.  First, a doorway was built. Then a checkout station was constructed, a miracle of its own when you think about how little room we had to work with.  Then a new flow started to happen, immediately a relief to shoppers. Finally, a work party took place that added the final touches, including a refrigerator layout that included specials written on the doors, a "specials" neon board and price tags for all our items.  A generous sprinkling of "free" selections keeps food items moving through quickly and helps budgets stretch further.

When opening day came, a crowd of helpful volunteers gathered, making sure everything was neat, clean and well-marked then held their breath when the door opened at 10 am.  After all, even the best laid plans don't account for every possibility, and we just didn't know how it would all come together.  What came afterward will be remembered for a long time - an easy, happy day that passed without a hitch.  The relief amongst volunteers and clients alike was noticeable, a sign that this system might just work!

A change of this magnitude was only possible because of the amazing efforts of many, many
contributors.   There is no way we can thank everyone, because so many were involved, but we'll give it
a shot anyway:

The Project Team Extraordinaire who, for months, met every week and sometimes in between to carve out this new process, study its implications and then implement it.  These folks gave this project their best and it shows in the beautiful and successful results:

 Staff: Gavin Watt, Lucy Baker and Mike Willmes
 Volunteers: Anne Alexander, Karen Calhoun, Sandy Fullerton, Carol Geissler, Katherine
Porter, Sharon Schmid, Helen Supancheck and Kee Webb

Facilities, including construction and computers:
 John Lewis built and installed our new shelving and the new checkout station.
 The Poulsbo Rotary donated the funds needed to buy our new 3-door cooler, set to be delivered
on 7/23.
 Greg Lasater, son of Board President Walt, donated his time in creating the doorway that leads
to the checkout station.
 Central Market and Albertsons donated the buggies our clients love to use.
 David Graves worked nights and weekends to get our computers set up and ready to be used as
checkout systems.
 Ken Craig, the programmer who developed our Client Card System, specially modified the
program to accommodate our Fish Bucks.
 Eric Watland of Advanced Electrical Design donated installation of electrical service for our new
refrigerator configurations.

Most especially, we want to thank each and every one of you who graciously adapted to the changes.  It takes longer and requires more effort to implement a new way, and you all just rolled up your sleeves and went to work with a great attitude.

11 Facts About Hunger in the United States

Photo:  DoSomething.org, Feed-America

1. In 2010, 17.2 million households, (1 in 7) were food insecure, the highest number ever recorded in the U.S.
2. More than 16 million (almost 1 in 5) American children are at risk of hunger.
3. Households with children experience food insecurity at almost double the rate of households without children.
4. Nearly 1 in 5 children in the U.S. is served by Feeding America, the nation’s largest food bank.
5. Five states or districts with the highest rate of food insecure children are Arizona, Arkansas, Oregon, Texas and Washington, D.C.
6. America’s Second Harvest annually provides food to over 23 million people. That is more than the population of the state of Texas.
7. The USDA recently found that about 96 billion pounds of food available for human consumption in the United States were thrown away by retailers, restaurants, farmers and households over the course of one year.
8. Hungry adults miss more work and consume more health care than those who don’t go hungry.
9. Kids who experience hunger are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, behavior problems, and other illnesses.
10. The total cost of hunger to American society is said to be about $90 billion a year.
11. In contrast, it would only cost about $10 billion to $12 billion a year to virtually end hunger in our nation.

Source:  DoSomething.org

Local Teens Lend a Helping Hand

Featured here:  Ricky Bonachea who drives from Bremerton to help us, and Rachelle Charlie and Mikaila Lestenkof.

The lazy, hazy days of summer usually mean long stretches of fun and recreation for students who have worked and studied hard all the school year.  But for some of our local teens, the summer means it's also a time to give back to their community.  For many summers, Fishline has been able to keep local high school and college students busy helping in the food bank and on special projects, but we've had more help from our youth this summer than ever before.

After an announcement was made at North Kitsap High School Honors Program just before the end of the school year, more than 12 students immediately jumped in to help us.  First on the list of projects was sorting the food received during the recent postal drive, nearly 17,000 pounds of cans, jars and packages that needed to be date checked and  organized.  Thanks to the help of these young people, we were done in 1 week, a process that normally takes 2-3 weeks.  Then it was onto helping organize the new front market system, all the while pitching in every day by sorting groceries and stocking food shelves as they emptied during our busy days.  Some of our students will even be serving as checkout volunteers next week and beyond, as we implement our new "Fish Bucks" market design.

Featured:  Marlon Basco & Bryce Whitford pack up boxes of bread. (Kitsap Sun)

All around Fishline, you can hear volunteers say to each other, "The teen help we've had this summer has been great!" and that is certainly true.  We're very lucky to have their help, knowing that our future is in good hands if it's in the hands of these great leaders-in-the-making.