Lake Stevens is a growing community. New construction and new businesses are clear signs of that growth. With more people in the community, there are more people who need social services whether to help themselves or their family. In 2023, the food bank served nearly 50% more families than they did in 2022.
One of these social programs that people know about but doesn’t get talked about much is the food banks. One of the food banks that is available to us is the Lake Stevens Food Bank located by the Trestle Station on Cavalero Hill at 8021 20th St SE, Lake Stevens, WA 98258. Their new location provides them with a greater capacity to serve people. They serve clients three days each week.
One of the most common ways people donate to food banks is with canned goods. While donating non-perishable food is helpful, donating money can be even more helpful to the food bank in terms of buying power.
“If you can buy a can of tuna for $0.77, we can buy it for 50 cents,” director of the Lake Stevens Food Bank, Anthony Hawley said.
Food banks can also use that money in a different way. They buy perishable food, like eggs, bread, milk and meats — all of the other “staples”.
Lake Stevens Food Bank also needs volunteers, aside from non-perishable foods and money. Running the food bank is impossible without people who volunteer. Currently, they employ six employees, but they rely on around 120 people volunteering every week. Without community support, they won’t have enough people to serve everyone.
These places are not only a place to pick up food; it’s a place for community connections. On Tuesdays, the food bank is open to only senior citizens. On Tuesday, it felt so much more like a social gathering than it did a food bank because all these older people knew each other. They were talking and laughing with each other rather than going there to simply pick up food.
For senior citizens who have a fixed income, utilizing the food bank is a necessity – especially as the prices of food increase. They don’t need to worry about whether or not they can feed themselves for the week. With their food needs met, it allows them to focus on another aspect of their life such as paying medical bills.
Recently, the food bank has greatly increased their distribution of food. According to Hawley, in 2022, the food bank distributed 605,795 pounds of food and this last year 2023 it was 1,036,951 pounds of food. When it comes to families, in 2022, they served 16,110 families, and in 2023 they served 24,070 families.
With more families in the community leaning on the food bank, they can use more help. Volunteer work at the food bank depends on what you can do physically, but it doesn’t require someone to be physically fit.
The food bank also utilizes volunteers with special needs, who perform jobs such as counting diapers and other goods that are distributed.
Volunteers are also needed to help people walk around the store and get things or maybe suggest recipe ideas for foods that clients haven’t worked with before.
For students who can’t volunteer at the food bank, another way to help the food bank is by taking the Culinary Class at LSHS. In that class, they often bake bread and other baked goods for the food bank and the students get some service hours. Doing this can help students earn nearly 15 hours of community service.
The next time a food drive arises at LSHS, bring in food or money because it benefits not only the food bank, but the community as a whole.
