New building but food bank problems remain the same

By Kirk Boxleitner • November 25, 2014 5:33 pm

ARLINGTON — The Arlington Community Food Bank marked its first Thanksgiving meal distribution at its new location Nov. 21, and thanks to an efficient new signup program, holiday basket coordinator Sara Katanik expects them to serve close to 450 families through Nov. 24. That’s up dramatically from last year, when the food bank provided Thanksgiving meals for slightly more than 300 families.

“I think a lot of that increase is just due to the economy,” Katanik said. “More people are working, but they’re not making enough to make ends meet. It’s hard to stretch your dollar when you’re paying four dollars a gallon for gas to get to work. One of our families makes too much to qualify for food stamps, even though they’re living on disability.”

Katanik credited the Angel of the Winds Casino with kicking in 100 turkeys for Thanksgiving, although Jerrie Inman, who’s on the food bank’s board of directors, hastened to add that a number of families prefer the chickens they have available during the holidays.

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While the food bank could always use more canned fruits and vegetables, it’s recently seen shortages in macaroni and cheese, which it once had in steady supply, and canned meals.

“Our clients are often busy people who don’t have a lot of time to cook, so anything that they can fix fast comes in handy,” Inman said. “With chili or beef stew, you can just dump it in a pot and heat it up.”

The food bank could also use donations of non-food items, from smaller-size servings of shower soap and laundry detergent to toilet paper.

“We used to get all the toilet paper we could ever need from Kimberly-Clark, but then they went away, and no one else thinks to get it for us,” Inman said.

Katanik pointed out that the donations the food bank receives over the holidays often have to last them until the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive in May.

“People think about us during the holidays, but the rest of the year, we’re not always in the forefront of their thoughts,” Katanik said.

The food bank will post its Christmas meal distribution days and hours online at www.arlingtonwafoodbank.org.

In the meantime, families should sign up by Friday, Dec. 12, to be eligible for “Operation Christmas Hope,” the food bank’s toy store for children up to 18 years old. Christmas gifts will be distributed from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at the Arlington American Legion Post 76 Hall, at 115 N. Olympic Ave.

Katanik encouraged people to donate cash or children’s gifts to the Union Bank branch at 525 N. Olympic Ave., and added that the toy store is especially in need of gifts for teens.

Those who wish to donate to the food bank itself may drop off items at the back of the building at 19118 63rd Ave. NE, during the hours of operation listed on its website.