The holidays provide for a season of giving. Food banks and other charitable organizations generally see an increase in donations that carry them through leaner times when the warm glow of generosity begins to wear off.
But the Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank is seeing more demand this winter than incoming supplies.
“Numbers are way up this year,” said Jan Coen, president of the board and food bank coordinator. “At this point, we have 236 families who have requested Christmas baskets. Usually by the end of Christmas week, we have about 110 families for baskets.”
At the same time, she said, donations are “way down.”
“Last year, we had our two storage units behind the food bank with food in them,” Coen said. “This year, there is no food in them, and we have not had any large donations coming in to help us replace what is going out the front door.”
Coen said the food bank fed close to 3,000 families with about 9,000 members.
“We have many disabled and elderly people who receive a food box each month, so that is reflected in those numbers,” she said. “There are usually 30 new clients who have not been to the food bank each month. In November, it was 43.”
Need for service is countywide
Key Peninsula’s food bank is faring a bit better this year, but it, too, is seeing an increase in the request for services. While community generosity is keeping it afloat for now, the number of families who are asking for assistance has doubled in the past year.
Penny Gazabat, executive director for Key Peninsula Community Services, which runs the senior center and the food bank, said they generally see close to 300 families a month.
Between July 2010 and June 2011, that number jumped to 650.
“Right now, our shelves are stocked,” Gazabat said “That will carry us through January, then we start the process of depleting supplies. We try to make the public aware that it’s a year-round process.”
One of the Key Peninsula staples is the food basket program, which offers a full basket with the goal of providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days, Gazabat said. Recipients who meet qualifying income levels can access the program once a month.
People above the set income level can still use the program if they are experiencing a temporary crisis situation, Gazabat said.
“Maybe their unemployment ran out, or they’re waiting to get on unemployment,” she said. “They can get food while paying part of their mortgage or rent. It’s the prudent thing to do when they’re in-between funding sources. They might have an electric or mortgage bill, so we can be that stop-gap so they’ll still have food resources and not get that (service) disconnection notice.”
A disturbing trend
Food banks currently are experiencing a flood of first-timers — people who are suddenly finding themselves in desperate situations.
“Every single person we see is either at the poverty level or close to it,” Coen said.
“They’re really struggling to make ends meet. I was surprised at the number of people who can’t pay their rent, and they know they’re going to be evicted soon.”
People who were working for businesses that struggled during the holidays have had their hours cut or have lost their jobs altogether, Coen added.
“It’s devastating,” she said. “They’re doing their very best with their hours cut, but if your income doesn’t even match your rent, how are you going to keep a roof over your head?
“It’s alarming to see the trend. You hear the economy is getting better, but this is evidence that, for many families, it is not getting better.”
The double-edged sword is that community members who have donated to the food bank in the past are struggling to keep afloat themselves.
“It’s just obvious that donations are down, because these people are also having trouble making ends meet,” Coen said. “I’ve had executives come in here. With America’s ‘can-do’ attitude, some people are embarrassed to ask for help, so they’re relying on family and friends. It’s humiliating for them.”
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More clients
The Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank is seeing more new faces all the time.
REASONS GIVEN FOR NEEDING HELP
Low income 236
Disabled 49
Violence 1
Ill 6
Injured 4
WORKING/UNEMPLOYED/STUDENTS
Students 7
Unemployed 41
Working 46
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