What a year this has been for the Blaine Food Bank! We have been very busy. Our new pole building is completed. We are all are so happy to be indoors now and we are forever grateful to an anonymous benefactrix who made it all possible.
In March, a cut back in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits and staggering costs for food, fuel and housing brought many new families to our doors; while at the same time free food received from the government was drastically reduced. We now must purchase food that had been free. We are currently serving just over 700 families each week and have distributed two million pounds of food to families in need.
Through these challenging times we have received unbelievable support from our community. Monthly donations from dedicated individuals have been vital to our operation. The city of Blaine graciously awarded us $50,000 to purchase milk, which costs about $6,000 a month. The ‘Good ‘Ol Boys’ held their annual golf tournament and presented us with an amazing check for $23,230. Haggen chose us as a recipient of its annual Heroes Against Hunger Campaign and gifted us $20,600 and this week the Semiahmoo Social Club hosted a high tea that collected $6,365 to fight hunger. In addition, Blaine primary and elementary students collected a whopping 3,455 pounds of shelf-stable food and $1,880. We have just completed our matching funds campaign, and although we don’t have a final amount, we are very confident that the goal of $40,000 has been met, and possibly even exceeded.
It has been a tough year for everyone, but we have been so blessed by the generosity of our caring community. Through our darkest days you and our incredible dedicated volunteers have sustained us. We are so grateful to everyone.
We thank you for caring.
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