NK Fishline is ‘driven’ to meet community need

POULSBO — North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank and the Hostmark Apartments aren’t that far apart but the distance often keeps the two from coming together to help those in need.

On Monday, however, the leaders of the two organizations teamed up to close the gap and deliver food to apartment tenants.

“Most of the people who live here don’t drive and can’t carry boxes back up the hill, so they don’t go,” explained Ann Clark, a social worker at the Hostmark Apartments.

While many residents could benefit from the food bank’s services, they never have because the distance is simply too great for the seniors, Clark said.

“Joyce Taylor got things started and Fishline started packing boxes for us to pick up,” she said.

While that system helped meet some of the need, the idea of having food boxes delivered generated lotså of excitement, Clark said.

“When we heard they could deliver, it was like ‘Wow’ and that’s definitely the most exciting part,” she said.

Even so, Monday’s delivery was not the first time Fishline and the Hostmark Apartments have teamed up to help those in need, Clark added.

“They’ve had a fashion show here and a volunteer appreciation luncheon,” she said. “We definitely hope to continue our collaborations.”

For Fishline Executive Director Sharon Kirkpatrick, Monday’s delivery was simply a matter of making good on a promise.

“When I’m say I’m going to be here at 11:30 and when I say I’m going to be here on Monday, I am,” Kirkpatrick remarked as she finished unloading a van of food along with intern Michelle Almond.

Several of Fishline’s clients live in the apartment complex, and the idea of bringing food to them just made sense, Kirkpatrick said.

“With our lack of parking and other challenges our clients face in getting to us, this is another way for us to meet the need in the community,” she explained.

Fishline volunteers prepared most of the boxes on Friday with non-perishable items before adding perishable items like eggs and meat to them just before delivery.

“We got a list from them and made sure everyone got exactly what was on their list,” Kirkpatrick said.

This week’s trip included eight boxes of food and several bags of commodities. Future trips could include more boxes, she remarked.

“We’ve already got to go back and make a couple of more to deliver this afternoon,” she said as she prepared to return to the 3rd Avenue food bank. “This is definitely something we plan on continuing in the future.”

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