Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2017)
AUGUST 18, 2017, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A3 Doling out hope one food box at a time By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes I’m helping my third cli- ent of the Keizer Community Food Bank (KCFB) collect items for a food box when I notice that we’ve run out of laundry detergent. It’s not an absolute neces- sity, but it’s not the only thing that’s disappeared. There wasn’t much bar soap to begin with, ranch dressing is dwindling and the quarts of 1 percent milk left can be counted on one hand. My third client of the night means we’ve only helped about a dozen of the 20 families waiting for food boxes. There’s plenty of bread and even fresh fruit and vegetables still avail- able, but it’s the extra items that can add a lot to a grocery bill I wish the food bank had in greater supply. It’s Monday, Aug. 14, and it is not the fi rst time I’ve “muled” for KCFB. “Mules” are the food bank lingo for the vol- unteers that help clients collect items for their food boxes and then assist them with loading into their vehicles. I sincerely doubt it will be my last time. Tonight the members of the Keizer City Council and City Recorder Tracy Davis visited for a tour of the facility. Da- vis, Councilor Roland Herrera and Mayor Cathy Clark stayed for volunteer shifts. No one asked me to stay, but I’ve seen the work that this food bank does, talked with volunteers and directors past and present, volunteered alongside them, and come to realize that what happens here is less about food and more about hope. Even so, it’s been a time of change for the food bank and for clients, says Rev. Curt McCormack, the director of KCFB, a interfaith collabora- tion of fi ve Keizer churches. “Right now our numbers are down over last year, we used to see about 220 families a month and now it’s about 175. The difference is we are seeing more new clients each month,” he says. He’s uncertain how to in- terpret the data. It could mean that some families are fi nding jobs easier to come by, but it seems that others (maybe those in other industries) are fi nding themselves in need for the fi rst time. On the other hand, there is a healthy amount of food on the pantry shelves. In the past, I’ve seen it as bare as a few cans and boxes per shelf. There are, of course, needs. Canned fruit or pre-packaged cups of fruit or applesauce are always hard to come by here. Those items are often more expensive per ounce than canned vegetables or proteins. KCFB gets about 80 per- cent of the food it provides to families from the Marion-Polk Food Share, another 5 percent is donated directly to the food bank, which is housed at Faith Lutheran Church on River Road North. The remainder is purchased with fi nancial do- nations, and McCormack can purchase about $3 worth of food and other items for ev- ery $1 in donations. Recently, it’s become more important to have the fi nancial donations to KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald ABOVE: Margi Harp and Kris- tina DeWitt pack food boxes in the Keizer Community Food Bank pantry. RIGHT: Sherry Lowells and Dr. Marie Peck fold T-shirts donated by the Salem Bicycle Club. purchase specifi c items when the food bank runs low. “There are times when we have more rice than we can give away, but it’s a low rice KEIZER ROTARY AMPHITHEATER AT KEIZER RAPIDS PARK FREE 2017 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES For complete concert schedule go to kraorg.com ECLIPSE WEEKEND Syco Billy’s 6:30 PM on Friday, Aug. 18 Ty Curtis 6:30 PM on Saturday, Aug. 19 David Klinkenberg 9:00 – 10:30 AM on Monday, Aug. 21 Please no outside food or beverages. No pets allowed insde the amphitheater. time right now,” McCormack can have one more day when life in general is less of a strug- says. The food bank also deals gle. Visiting a food bank for with an unpredictable sched- ule in terms of orders from the fi rst time is likely a pride- the Marion-Polk Food Share, shattering choice for anyone, which are completed two but what has always impressed weeks before a truck deliv- me is the collective character ers it, and needs of clients that of the volunteers who wel- come them into the fold with- change from week-to-week. McCormack could take ad- out judgement or pity and do vantage of a local cannery that their best to send them on their will sell canned food cheap in way able to hold their heads a little higher bulk, but he than when they would have came in. to buy it by As a vol- the pallet and unteer, being then fi gure around others out how to so willing to transport it to see the best in Faith Luther- every person an and store feels like re- it until it is all demption for given away. some of the “ T h a t ’s other horrors why dol- the world foists lar donations upon us. That’s work bet- what keeps me ter. We can coming back. I buy what we need when — Rev. Curt McCormack suspect the ex- perience is the we need it same for others, and the dol- lar goes a lot further,” McCor- and it’s a huge return on a $1 investment. mack says. For more information on do- I don’t feel like it’s a stretch to say that those dollars buy nating to KCFB, call 503-871- hope. Food on the table or less 9100. Sustainable giving options stress around it means families are available. “There are times when we have more rice than we can give away, but it’s a low rice time right now.” SPONSORS TITLE SPONSOR City of Keizer • Columbia Bank • Gilgamesh Uptown Music • KBZY 1490 AM Keizer Vision Source • Willamette Valley Bank Rich Duncan Construction • Salem Electric UPS Store • Walsh & Associates R Bauer Insurance • Advantage Precast Highway Fuel • Rasmussen Spray Service ATTENTI N ! There will be NO Garbage & Recycling Service on MONDAY, AUGUST 21st. Offi cials expect traffi c gridlock surrounding the Solar Eclipse. That week only… Residential Service will occur one day late, thru Saturday. Commercial Service will occur one day early, on Sunday. ANY QUESTIONS? CALL US… LOREN'S VA L L E Y SANITATION & RECYCLING SERVICE, INC. RECYCLING & DISPOSAL, INC. 503.393.2262 503.585.4300
