CK Food Bank in need of volunteers and donations

With summer coming to a close and the holiday season rapidly approaching, the Central Kitsap Food Bank is in need of volunteers and donations.

Hoyt Burrows, executive director of the food bank, said the CK Food Bank is in need of volunteers to work in customer service, stocking shelves, clean up and other tasks. Normal operating hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. five days a week. No experience is necessary and volunteers can donate “whatever portion of time they can share” with the food bank, according to Burrows.

With the CK Food Bank’s supply of food and hygiene products slowly diminishing, Burrows said they are currently looking for donations. The food bank is in need of non-perishable foods and hygiene supplies.

“We’re not desperate yet like some food banks around the state, but our supply is being depleted,” he said. “When you give away 400,000 pounds of food a year, you do need help.”

Burrows said the food bank will accept monetary donations. Money will be used to purchase food and hygiene products including meat, canned foods, grains, toilet paper and other items.

Burrows buys a lot of the food from wholesalers in Seattle as well as local merchants.

“I buy a lot of stuff from Silverdale Red Apple Market,” he said.

Last month, the CK Food Bank served 412 families, a total of 1,242 people, mostly children. It gave away 433,000 pounds of food in 2006.

People can mail monetary donations to P.O. Box 748 Silverdale, WA 98383 or bring food and hygiene product donations to the food bank. For more information about volunteering or making donations, contact Burrows at the CK Food Bank at (360) 692-9818.

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