Fishline Current: June 10

Fishline Current: Upcoming Events, Classes and Reminders! 

 

Our SOS program (Stability, Opportunity, Success) goes beyond our basis services and works closely with other providers and agencies to offer our clients a  path beyond difficult times: by offering classes, providing job support, and giving our clients access to training and workshops.

Here are our confirmed SOS classes for the month of June and July, 2015:
The resource room will not be available during classes!  If you plan to attend a workshop or class, please call ahead to make sure that it has not been cancelled.

Rotary Readers at Fishline
THIS Friday, June 12 from 11am to 12pm
The Poulsbo Rotary Club and Fishline have launched an early literacy pilot project called Rotary Readers: Read to Me (0 to 5).  During the program a brand new book will be given to parents or primary caregivers of children aged newborn to 5. The book will be given in a blue bag along with learning skills developmental information and ideas for use of the book.  Parents will also be given a calendar for the month to note upon which date the child was read to.
Please note: parents will be asked to survey the program after participating so that we can improve the class if needed.  The books purchased from a grant by the Poulsbo Rotary Club match the age-level interests for the child. You must sign up in the lobby for of Fishline for this class.
Meet & Greet
Peninsula Community Health Services
Monday, June 22, 10am to 2pm Peninsula Community Health Services will be in the Fishline lobby on Monday, June 22 from 10am to 2pm to do a casual "Meet and Greet" with Fishline clients.
Representatives will be available from to answer questions about Apple Health, the Washington State Benefit Exchange and services provided by PCHS.
Rotary Readers at Fishline
Wednesday, June 24 from 5pm to 6pm
The Poulsbo Rotary Club and Fishline have launched an early literacy pilot project called Rotary Readers: Read to Me (0 to 5).  During the program a brand new book will be given to parents or primary caregivers of children aged newborn to 5. The book will be given in a blue bag along with learning skills developmental information and ideas for use of the book.  Parents will also be given a calendar for the month to note upon which date the child was read to.
Please note: parents will be asked to survey the program after participating so that we can improve the class if needed.  The books purchased from a grant by the Poulsbo Rotary Club match the age-level interests for the child. You must sign up in the lobby for of Fishline for this class.
 

Grow A Row: Gardening Class
July 15, 3:30 to 6pm

Vegetable Gardening for Adults taught by WSU Kitsap County Extension Master Gardeners.  Learn the basics of organic vegetable gardening in a two and one half hour overview class.  Topics covered will be site selection and analysis, soil building, plant selection, pest and disease prevention/management, and garden maintenance.  Students will be able to do a simple soil test of their garden soil and will take home informational handouts.  This class will be held on July 15, 3:30 to 6pm.  You must sign up in the lobby of Fishline for this class.

Fishing for Answers: Understanding Your Credit Report
Wednesday, July 29, 5:30 to 7pm
Fishline Conference Room
Why is it important to have good credit?
What if I have questions about my credit report?
How can I build or repair my credit?
Meet with a banking professional and learn more about how to understand your credit report and what it means for your future. You won't want to miss this opportunity to ask questions about your credit report and get answers that make sense for you! Please register for this class by calling Kitsap Community Resources at (360) 478-2301 or by signing up in the lobby at Fishline. Email questions to nkfishline@gmail.com.

Ongoing Classes:
 

"How to Find the Hidden Job Market in Kitsap County" Mondays, from 12pm to 3pm Wednesdays from 1pm to 3pm And other techniques for finding a job, including one on one job search assistance and free resumes.  These workshops will be held on Mondays, from 12pm to 3pm, and on Wednesdays from 1pm to 3pm.

Breath of Life, Tai Chi - Qi Gong/Wellness, Awareness, and Meditation
Tuesdays, 12:30 to 1pm
*Nelson Park, 317 Northwest Lindvig Way Practice the ancient ways of breathing and movement to strengthen and enhance your body and mind.  It is a dynamic technique for tranquility in motion.  Sessions benefit all levels of skill and all ages, with special variations for disabilities.  Join us for a free session each Tuesdays at Nelson Park, 317 Northwest Lindvig Way, Tuesdays from 12:30pm to 1pm.  Wear comfortable, easy to move in clothing. Presented by Jillian Rifkind of Nourishing Life Acupunture and Julia Forrester of Tai Chi - Qi Gong. 

*NEW LOCATION! 

REMINDERS!

• On Thursdays, we typically have  less food in the coolers.
• Please make sure to bring your ID's to each visit. 
• Please try to arrive 15 minutes prior to closing, especially Fridays.

THANK YOU!

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!

Recipes from the Market: Overnight Oatmeal Quick Fruit Breakfast Sundaes

Our volunteer Charlene continues to share yummy cooking tips with items that can be found in our market! Pictured here is a healthy and easy Oatmeal Sundae, that can be made with minimum prep work -- no stovetop cooking! 

Recipe:

Overnight Oatmeal Quick Fruit Breakfast Sundaes

In a pint jar (2 cups) with a lid, the basic proportion is equal parts oatmeal and liquid, either dairy milk or milk alternative, rice, almond, coconut. Add desired fruit and flavorings. 
For example:
• 2/3 cup oatmeal
• 2/3 cup milk, dairy or alternative
• 1/2 cup fruit, fresh, frozen or canned work fine
• Sweetener, if desired, such as jam, brown sugar, honey, stevia, applesauce, etc
• Flavoring, if desired, such as vanilla, cinnamon, other spices
• Add ins, if desired, such as nuts, yogurt, chia seeds, protein powder, etc.
Measure all ingredients into a pint jar, cover with a tight lid and shake gently. Put the jar in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. In the morning you have a quick nutritious breakfast for one or two. It can also be heated quickly in the microwave or a minute if you prefer a hot oatmeal sundae. Kids love to make their own.

Stamp Out Hunger was a HUGE SUCCESS!

 

Thank you to all our Poulsbo letter carriers who picked up food this past Saturday for Stamp Out Hunger! These hard working carriers are not required to participate in this annual event, yet ALL of the local routes opted in! Just another example of how awesome our community is -- thank you!

A big thank you to the 100+ volunteers that showed up to help on Saturday. Your efforts helped us collect & sort 10,000+ lbs of food! And thanks again to the North Kitsap community, you make this event such a success year after year with your generous food donations!

Recipes from the Market: Lentils

On the menu this week? LENTILS! Commonly misunderstood but nutritious, delicious and cheap! Charlene made a salad and a soup that filled the market with flavorful smells, attracting clients to try the delightful dishes and learn more about how to prepare them. Preprinted recipes were available to take, as were the ingredients needed to prepare these dishes. Just another way we are working to help improve client lives at Fishline! Thanks Charlene!

Volunteer Appreciation Week at NK Fishline

Since 1967, thousands of volunteers have served our community through NK Fishline by giving their time, talent and heart. Currently, we have over 250 volunteers who are actively making a difference in the lives of our neighbors. These past and present volunteers are the soul of our organization and we could not serve the community without them.

There are no words to describe the incredible people we have working at NK Fishline. I know this because I do my best to express my gratitude to and for them every day. The sensation that fills my heart each morning as I work is unexplainable, but I will do my best to elaborate.

Picture a dark, soggy, blustery Monday morning in the middle of December. It’s 7:30am and I am sitting at my desk with a view of a large vacant parking lot. Minutes silently pass and then I hear a vehicle pulling in, then more headlights and another car, followed by another, and yet another. Within minutes, my quiet workplace is a buzzing hive of activity. I hear laughter, salutations, and even exclamations of delight as volunteers reconnect after time spent apart. Boxes are being shuffled and sorted and carts roll across the concrete floor. The market has come alive and in this eventful commotion my heart smiles. This is no ordinary place of business; this is NK Fishline where neighbors come to serve their neighbors and make a difference in the lives of others. This is a place where volunteering means you are part of a family and service is done amongst friends.

Our market operates with over 145 regularly scheduled volunteers a week. These selfless individuals come to sort thousands of pounds of food each day and make our market a warm and friendly place for our clients.

Volunteers at Second Season sort through mountains of clothing donations, while volunteers at Second Season Home Store breathe new life into gently used furniture. These stores boast impressive sales with over 80 volunteers working together to provide quality clothing, decor and furniture to our local community, knowing the proceeds will be returning to our facilities and neighbors in need.

In addition to our market and stores, there are many volunteers you will never meet. These volunteers are behind the scenes entering data, making calls to follow up on clients, and working on our computers and software. They may be out of sight, however, they are never forgotten when it comes to our success.

Some might think it’s overwhelming to have so many volunteers running an organization, but the only thing overpowering is the feeling of gratitude I have for the volunteers. They come rain or shine, when many would find curling up with a good book or getting their own chores done better time spent.

It is truly a privilege to work alongside such incredible people. If I were to try and verbalize this feeling, it would be an amalgam of love, admiration, hope, and gratitude. Every day I watch a stream of volunteers bring our facilities to life. My faith in this world is renewed daily as I witness generosity, empathy, and compassion from my neighbors. Words are not enough; nonetheless, I will say this from my heart with adoration and respect: Thank you to those who give their lives to others, especially the volunteers of NK Fishline. You are a gift to our community that cannot be measured.

-Marie Hobson, Volunteer Manager

Lead Volunteer Position Available



A leading volunteer position available at NK Fishline

If you like interior design, have a little management background and can spare 15-20 hours a week, we invite you to consider applying for our Second Season Home Store Manager position. Our new Fishline business is off to a great start and shows much promise to grow to become an even more successful downtown retail merchant. This volunteer position will give you an opportunity to make a difference in our community by managing a dedicated group of volunteers and leading our Second Season Home Store to the next level of success.

The position includes these responsibilities:

• Site manager, overseeing volunteers, donations, sales and administrative functions.
• Responsible for the basic budget of the store and coordinating pricing guidelines.
• Serve as liaison to Second Season Thrift Store and the Fishline staff, attending bi-monthly staff meetings and providing monthly status reports to management.
• Encourage consistent stream of inventory, including monitoring donation standards and calibrating pricing to assist in quick turnover of our items.

Other desired attributes of the Store Manager are an ability to work well with customers and volunteers, some on-call availability, light lifting of furniture items, and the ability to work as a team.

If you are interested in exploring this opportunity, contact Mary Nader at director@nkfishline.org or call 779-4191 by March 13.
 
*This is a nonpaid volunteer position

We also have openings for volunteers at both Second Season stores and the food bank. Contact volunteer@nkfishline.org to apply for a volunteer position.