EVERETT — Snohomish County’s 20 community food banks, preparing Thanksgiving food baskets this week for thousands of area adults and families, have mixed reports on their last-minute needs.
Some still need basics like turkeys or ham. Others say they’re in need of side dishes and other staples to fill out the menu.
“So you know what we’re lacking? The stuff that goes with the turkeys,” said Sharon Paskewitz, a director at Volunteers of America. The organization runs a food distribution center in Everett that helps supply both the Everett Food Bank as well as food banks throughout the county.
The Everett Food Bank, which is preparing 1,542 holiday food baskets, still needs staples such as butter, margarine and eggs, along with potatoes, canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce and green beans, she said.
The food bank had to close last week to help organize the effort, Paskewitz said, but will resume services today.
Six Everett auto dealers joined with the Everett Police Department to raise $17,030 to help buy turkeys for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays for the food bank.
JoAnn Mulligan, interim director at the Marysville Community Food Bank, said any food donation would be appreciated. The organization is preparing 400 food baskets.
Schools, churches and other community organizations around Marysville joined together earlier this month for a big holiday food drive, she said.
Yet the food bank still has food drive collection barrels at 65 area businesses, banks and grocery stores.
“We can always use canned vegetables, corn, string beans, pumpkin and sweet potatoes or yams,” Mulligan said.
The Lake Stevens Community Food Bank expects to prepare about 200 food baskets, said Jim Foster, director.
The food bank has just about all the supplies it needs for the Thanksgiving meals, he said. Foster said 17 area churches all agreed to donate one specific type of food, such as green beans or cranberries.
Help also came from the Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary clubs as well as a private Christian school, he said.
The Lynnwood, Maltby and Sky Valley food banks report they still need main course donations for their holiday food baskets.
“We’d love to have money to purchase hams or turkeys,” said Peg Amarok, administrative director for the Lynnwood Food Bank, which is preparing about 450 food baskets. Its first holiday baskets go out this week.
Amarok said the food bank always gets strong support from the community and added, “a big thank you for the support we get.”
Fran Walster, who oversees the Maltby Food Bank, said her organization can use turkeys, stuffing and “all the trimmings” for the 125 food baskets it’s preparing. “Our shelves have been low,” she said.
Those asking for help from the Maltby Food Bank include seniors and working families who aren’t making enough money to make ends meet, she said.
“Everything is high,” Walster said, “especially gas and rent. So they come to us for food.”
The Sky Valley Food Bank in Monroe still needs turkey and ham donations to help fill its 450 food baskets, which will serve an estimated 1,800 people, said Julie Morris, executive director. The organization also needs eggs, margarine, fresh fruits and vegetables, she said.
“The people we’re seeing now are mostly struggling working families,” Morris said.
Reporter Sharon Salyer at 425-339-3486 or salyer@heralenet.com.
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