Sixth-graders collect 300 coats and blankets for Gig Harbor food bank

A blizzard of winter coats and blankets descended on the Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH food bank this month, thanks to the sixth-graders of Harbor Ridge Middle School.

The students delivered more than 300 coats and blankets to the charity on Feb. 6, after a month-long public service campaign by their after-school service club.

The FISH sorting room was “filled to the ceiling,” said volunteer spokeswoman Lynne DeMichele, and “the kids were full of grins and giggles as they lined up to pass bag after bag of new and gently used coats from the delivery van.”

The spark for the project came from students themselves, meeting in the school’s weekly Interact Club, sponsored by Gig Harbor Rotary.

With some guidance from science teacher Kirsten Brent and Pam Peterson of the Rotary club, they went to work planning and promoting it with posters, announcements, “pestering all our friends,” and creating a promotional video they wrote and produced to show to the entire school.

As the students brought in their coats over four weeks, the accumulation in the back of Kirsten Brent’s classroom grew day by day. One seventh-grader was so inspired he saved up enough to buy 11 blankets online as his contribution, she said.

Kathryn Portteus’ class brought the most coats, 84 of them, earning a party with hot chocolate and cookies.

More than just food

The coats and blankets will be distributed to food bank clients who need them, said DeMichele.

“After clients finish shopping for the food they need at our facility, they can then shop for gently used clothing, shoes, linens and other housewares,” she said.

Many people are unaware the food bank provides a lot more than just food, DeMichele noted.

“In addition we provide new toys for the children of client families for birthdays and Christmas,” she said. “And always we make available school supplies. Some are surprised that we always have a lot of books for all ages which, satisfyingly, are very popular with virtually everyone who comes in.

“GHP FISH will also provide client transportation to doctor’s appointments and other necessary errands. In special circumstances we can offer help with heating bills or other financial assistance. “

GHP FISH is located at 4425 Burnham Dr. For more information, call 253-858-6179

This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 12:00 AM.