Need remains after holiday

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Food Bank was open for clients Dec. 26, and Ephrata Food Bank will be open Monday – the routine procedure for volunteers and operators of both. The food banks benefit from charitable projects in local communities during the weeks leading up to Christmas. But eventually it’s Dec. 26, and the organizations that serve people in need, like food banks, are still open, and still in need of donations.

“Our shelves are pretty empty,” said Moses Lake Food Bank director Peny Archer. “We moved a lot of food between Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

The number of people using the Moses Lake Food Bank has increased since the closing of the warming shelter operated by the Grant County Homeless Task Force. “We feel the difference,” Archer said.

There’s plenty of winter to go. “We’ve still got a long winter ahead,” Archer said, and people eat differently in winter than summer. They need heartier food in winter, she said. “You burn a lot of calories just trying to stay warm.”

As a result, food bank operators need donations of canned soup and stew, chili and canned meat, such as tuna. School is out for winter break, and children will be making some of their own meals even after school reopens. The food bank can use “kid-friendly” foods, Archer said, things like peanut butter and heat-and-eat macaroni and cheese. Peanut butter is versatile enough to work for most food bank clients, Archer said.

In Ephrata, “we’re OK right now,” said director Phyllis Fuglie. In addition, food bank operators usually try to set some food aside that will be in demand during the winter, she said. But the Ephrata food bank “definitely” could still use food.

Ephrata Food Bank operators also are looking for donations such as canned or heat-and-eat soup or mac and cheese, canned stew and chili.

Food donations can be dropped off at the Moses Lake food bank, 1075 W. Marina Drive, from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Monetary donations can be mailed to Community Services of Moses Lake, P.O. Box 683, Moses Lake.

Monetary donations for Ephrata can be mailed to P.O. Box 804, Ephrata. The food bank is open for food or monetary donations from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday or Thursday. Fuglie said she can take donations on other days by request.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.