Area cupboards filling with donors’ good spirits

KINGSTON — The concerns local food bank directors had prior to Thanksgiving about having enough food were quickly erased as the holiday grew closer — both the Kingston Food Bank and ShareNet Food Bank were able to provide clients with their expected number of food boxes. And then some.

And with Christmas approaching, neither ShareNet’s Lisa Defayette or KFB’s Vi Weaver, is expecting to have any problems — as long as the donations keep coming.

ShareNet has food drives taking place at Kingston Thriftway, McDonald’s and Cash Advance through Dec. 11.

While Defayette is counting on food drives to help supply the nonprofit with non-perishable items, she is also requesting perishable items, such as turkeys or hams, as well as eggs, butter, margarine, onions, celery, rolls, oranges and other similar items. These items should be dropped off at the food bank during its regular hours of 9:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Fridays. Donations will be taken through Dec. 16 at its location behind Bayside Community Church. The phone number is (360) 297-2266.

Defayette is also looking for new and unwrapped toys for the toy shop and is in need of items for teenagers, such as medium and large-sized hooded sweatshirts, gloves, knitted hats and socks.

“We always fall short for those,” she said.

They are also accepting toys for the toddlers and little kids, such as games, toys and puzzles. Other requested non-food items are hygiene products, like laundry detergent, toilet paper and shampoo.

“Those are the things, too, that are really expensive (for the food bank) to order,” Defayette said. “That’s the expensive stuff that’s hard for them.”

Weaver said Thanksgiving was amazing, in the fact that they did about three times as many baskets as they expected and had the food to cover it.

For the upcoming holiday, she’s not sure how many clients will sign up for Christmas baskets but large amounts of donations are coming in.

“We’ve collected quite a lot of food since Thanksgiving,” Weaver said. “It’s doing great. I’m really, really pleased. If it keeps coming, we’ll take it.”

The only thing they are “desperately low on” is tuna and macaroni and cheese. They are fine on soups, spaghetti and even ramen. They even have a fair amount of turkeys and margarine.

“It’s looking up for us, thank God,” she said.

Weaver is also accepting unwrapped toys to hand out with the baskets, including toys for kids and age-appropriate items for teens.

“Whatever anyone wants to donate, we’re going to be happy to get,” she said. “We’re going to find some kids who can use them.”

KFB will take donations through Dec. 21. The local cupboard is open from noon to 3 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and is located in the VFW Hall on West 1st Street in Kingston. Financial donations can be sent to Kingston Food Bank, P.O. 323, Kingston, WA 98346.

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