Across the North Olympic Peninsula, the pressure on nonprofit food banks has increased this year.
The rising numbers and seasonal need is a predictable pattern, but food bank workers say what is different is who is standing in line.
In Port Angeles, “there are a lot of new faces,” said Josie Gilbeck, food bank executive director.
“Now it’s the working poor, not just the unemployed or single moms.”
Shirley Moss, assistant manager at the Port Townsend Food Bank, agreed.
“We’re seeing a lot more working people who just can’t make ends meet,” she said.
“We’re seeing a lot of people who have jobs but may have had their hours cut.”
More than 5,000 holiday meals will be distributed by food banks this year to families in Clallam and Jefferson counties by Thanksgiving.
Although the number of clients have decreased at the Tri-Area Food Bank in Chimacum and in Forks, other Peninsula food banks report serving every-growing numbers of clients.
Most of the Peninsula food banks — like food banks nationwide — are seeing clients in record numbers, and a greater need for their services both during the holidays and on a weekly basis.
In Sequim, food bank interim director Stephen Rosales said volunteers have seen a big increase in younger people and families.
“I think the recession has hit here a bit late,” he said.
Port Angeles resident Beth Longtin calls the Port Angeles Food Bank “a Godsend.”
‘It’s a blessing,” she said while waiting to fill her cart with free groceries and supplies.
“Everyone here is really nice.”
Longtin moved to Port Angeles in January and is unemployed. She said she uses the food bank about once a month to stretch her food budget.
“They even give you food for your pets,” she said.
Mitch Mann, also a Port Angeles resident, said he has come to the local food bank about four times in the last year, as he has been off work with an injury.
“It definitely helps when you’re in a down time. It’s a great thing — it benefits a lot of people who can use the help,” he said.
Longtin and Mann received holiday meal boxes, including either turkey or ham.
The Port Angeles Food Bank serves by far the greatest number of residents in need, and the increase has been tremendous.
This year it is serving approximately 700 families a week, more than three times as many as last year, Gilbeck said.
The food banks in Port Angeles, Sequim and Jefferson County all accept clients without proof of income, but the Port Angeles site requires proof of family size for families over two members.
First-time clients are asked to provide Social Security cards for each family member or produce a Department of Social and Health Services medical coupon with all family members listed.
However, Gilbeck said none are turned away because they can’t provide such proof.
While last year the food bank received a large donation of turkeys from a local business, this year it didn’t receive a single large donation.
Instead, it will have to purchase turkeys and rely on individual donations.
“One at a time, the turkeys have come through the door,” Gilbeck said.
Food bank workers have distributed 3,000 Thanksgiving boxes so far, and expect that number to reach 4,000 by the holiday.
She noted that smaller families, up to three people, will get a turkey breast rather than a whole bird, and they also have hams to distribute.
The food bank just wrapped up its major fundraiser of the year, the Lions Club Food-a-thon.
Last year the effort raised $62,000, while this year’s drive netted slightly more, at $62,350, including a donation of $6,700 worth of peanut butter.
Gilbeck said that is about 70 percent of the food bank’s annual budget, and will allow clients to use the food bank twice a month. In the last few months, it has had had to cut back to once a month.
Sequim sees increase
Last year the Sequim Food Bank served approximately 100 families. Now, it is up to about 180.
The Sequim food bank has supplies on hand to stuff 800 holiday baskets, each one containing a 12- to 16-pound turkey and all the trimmings.
Rosales said that 20 to 30 turkeys were donated by community members, while the rest were purchased locally.
The Sequim Food Bank recently increased its hours, opening for three hours on Saturday mornings.
The Saturday opening, from 9 a.m. to noon, has proven popular. Nearly half the weekly clients, around 70, pick up food on the weekend.
“That scares me a little,” Rosales said. “That’s a lot of people.”
Port Townsend sees newcomers
Moss reports that the Port Townsend Food Bank distributes bags containing about 11 pounds of food per person each week to more than 200 families.
That’s nearly twice as many as two years ago, when the food bank served 120 to 140 families a week, she said. A family can be anything from one person to 11.
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Arrow Lumber in Port Townsend will deliver 260 frozen turkeys on Monday to the food bank at Mountain View Commons, formerly Mountain View Elementary, on Blaine Street.
Moss expects the food bank may get a few individual donations of turkeys. All the birds will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis before Thanksgiving.
Forks numbers drop
Bucking the trend seen nationwide, the Forks Food Bank has seen a decrease, with 350 families signed up for the program, compared to more than 600 last year.
Forks has an annual sign-up in July, and families receive food twice a month.
Food bank director Prue Miller attributed the drop in part to fewer Hispanic workers in the West End.
In past years, 150 to 200 families and single Hispanic men have used the food bank.
Miller attributed the decrease in those numbers to Hispanic workers moving to other areas, both for work and because of pressure on illegal immigrants from federal immigration and Border Patrol agencies.
The food bank has requests for 202 Thanksgiving baskets, with some of those requests coming from community members not signed up for the program.
Miller said it ordered 225 turkeys this year.
While the Forks Food Bank gets some government funding, community support is essential to the success of the program.
“It’s an amazing community,” Miller said. “If we even mention a slowdown (in donations) we get inundated.”
Numbers down in Chimacum, too
In Chimacum, Tri-Area Food Bank manager Coni Johnson reports that the number of clients has dropped slightly this year.
The food bank serving Chimicam, Hadlock and Irondale is the second largest distributor in Jefferson County.
Rather than an increase, the bank is serving approximately 175 families a week, just below last year’s level.
But there is one difference.
“We’re seeing families consolidating,” Johnson said.
In particular, seniors are moving in with family members. So while the numbers are stable, the family size is larger.
The Tri-Area Food Bank has only had three turkeys donated, and has purchased 250, Johnson said.
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Features Editor Marcie Miller can be reached at 360-417-3550 or marcie.miller@peninsuladailynews.com.