From the Director

As our fiscal year begins in July - it seems we always scratching for every dollar. Typically for most non-profits, this is the case. Vacations and summer activities take place and sometimes the need for the food bank is forgotten in our mind. We know this is an historic trend so we gear up for it and hope that we have saved enough to get us through. We were extra fortunate this year in that the produce from your local gardens and Moseby Brothers Farms, as well as the Auburn
Farmers Market, helped to provide a lot of extra for our clients! Fresh vegetables always are a treat!

As we head into September and October - our funds tighten up – school begins and there are clothes and school expenses that add to your worries, as well as the worries of our clients, and our numbers of clients rise. Then comes NOVEMBER! We always look forward to NOVEMBER! November brings our annual Harvest Breakfast - now 17 years in existence! FIVE-hundred people set their alarms very early and they brave the cold morning air to join us for a LongHorn BBQ catered meal and great fellowship! We work hard on the program to bring you the vision of our mission and hopefully touch your heart! You never fail us! You hear our plea and you respond! This year our tally has reached $51,000.00! Our challenge of "What if....?" has brought some amazing ideas in and many projects are underway to help meet our needs.

It's always hard to find ways to help you understand that our need is daily - without sounding like we are forever asking! However - that is the reality! Serving over 135 families on an average every day takes a LOT of food and money. We need 10,000 pounds of food for every day that we serve. Seriously! Now, don't let this discourage you. Never think that what you have won't make a dent because it does! About half of this amount is received through Food LifeLine and NW Harvest – we make weekly orders through them. They are a distribution site for food banks --- basically a food bank for food banks! In order to give our client a "standard bag" with vegetables, fruit, meat, pasta, grains & bread (enough to meet the food pyramid guidelines), we make bulk purchases to always have these on hand if we don't receive enough through donations. We always make sure that at the very least – this is what a client would receive. Another great resource to add to those pounds of food - is from our local grocery stores and markets as well as the farmer. Then, there comes you and your donation.....the donation that always comes through in a pinch and carries us through!

The breakfast "kick starts" our financial turnaround for the year and your donations carry through the holidays!

This November has been incredible. We had a record day of 207 families (November 20). We closed our doors that night - with maybe enough to help about 15 families - but we had no meat, produce or dairy. You can't order through your bulk distributer to solve a problem this fast. As we left for the day, we were discussing what we should do for Monday - put a sign on the door to come back Tuesday? We knew we were getting our Food LifeLine & NW Harvest orders in – but they come in the middle of our day and by the time they are sorted and broke down for handing out - we would be closing. But - at least then, we'd have what we would need for Tuesday. Wednesday was our Thanksgiving Box Day (all the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal) and that food was purchased and in storage. Thursday and Friday, we would be closed for the Holiday so all the rest of the week would be covered.....but what about Monday.....?

Saturday, November 21 - Northwest Family Church blessed their neighborhood with the "Big Give." A sack of groceries for the holiday meal and a gift card to Fred Meyer for their meat. They served over 300 families and at the end of the day - they had leftovers. I was asked if we needed their leftovers! 100 grocery bags and $850.00 in gift cards - we RAN to Fred Meyers and ordered meat for Monday, picked it up at 8:00 AM, opened the doors to the food bank at 9:00 AM and served 110 families on Monday! How incredible is that!

By the end of Monday, the snow was falling and the wind was kicking up. Several of the homeless were already soaking wet and cold - wondering if there was a shelter that could be opened. My first answer was no -- but I would ask -- then invited them all to the Community Supper for a hot meal of turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, fruit and green salads, shrimp stuffed mushrooms, rolls and desserts. When the doors closed, I called City Hall - could there possibly be a place that they could open and let my staff manage for the night? Within ONE hour - Emergency Management and Human Services solved the problem and we went out to make the announcement at dinner! We called all the places where people try to find to keep warm to get the word out. Twelve people had a cot, a warm bedtime snack, coffee and juice along with a warm place to sleep - a hot breakfast & coffee before they left topped of the adventure! My staff, 3 CERT Volunteers, and special caring people who dropped off gloves, scarves and coats, after overhearing me in the grocery store, made this happen.

Tuesday night was colder - Emergency Management again met us with cots and blankets and 23 were kept safe and secure from the elements. As we prepared to leave on Wednesday morning - I had to leave earlier than they did and was asked where I was going. I told them the food bank was preparing to give out Holiday grocery boxes over at Holy Family. They waved goodbye and off I went. Just before opening the doors to our day at Holy Family - 5 of these same people came through and said they were here to help - and help they did! Three of them were still there at 5:00 PM -- mopping the floor of that entire hall and without them - my staff would have still been there at 8:00 PM. Awesome people!

I was asked -- Why did you spend the entire 2 nights out with "them" when I have a home and people who can do this for me? Well...."them" are my friends and "they" were cold and hungry. I can't ask anyone to do what I am not willing to do first. I can't give you the "tools" if I don't know the job! It was a pleasure and an experience I won't soon forget or ever take for granted again. I - and my staff - do it because it is the RIGHT thing to do! Emergency Management and Human Services and the CERT Volunteers do so as well! They made this all possible and I can't thank them enough! Neither can those who needed the services -- they were and are very grateful!

As Tuesday moved along -- the ice was building up and the air was colder. We have teams who help us deliver to shut-ins or elderly - their Holiday Box. With the inclement weather - some of the teams couldn't make it as their cars couldn't handle the road conditions and our number of clients needing to be served in their home was increasing as many of our seniors couldn't come out and drive in it either! Great - now what do we do! More homes to deliver to and fewer drivers! So - I went to my email and sent out a request to my Board - we needed those with big vehicles and snow ready tires! Two were able to help...and then they passed the email out to their contacts. Emergency Management got one of those forwards - and a call went out for help - Valley Regional Firefighters responded as well as CERT volunteers! Deliveries were completed and everyone was safe! Those receiving were so very grateful - by the end of the day many had called to say thanks!

I can't begin to explain how humbling it is to ask and YOU respond. I thank you for trusting us (The Auburn Food Bank) because I know if you didn't - you wouldn't help. I thank you for giving of yourself and your time to help your neighbor and friends - and strangers you have never met!

Thanksgiving Day might happen just once a year but for us at The Auburn Food Bank, thanksgiving happens every day. We thank you!

Debbie Christian One Can Make a Difference!
Executive Director

www.theauburnfoodbank.org