>Baker City Herald | Baker County Oregon's News Leader

Locally and statewide, food banks report rise in requests for emergency aid

Dan Camarata, red shirt, and Holli Diamond, left, coordinated volunteers during the 2007 Salvation Army food box project. (Baker City Herald/S. John Collins)

And the need is definitely rising.

“We’re seeing more working poor, I call them. They just need more help,” said Lillian Terry, executive director of the Northeast Oregon Compassion Center.

The report is the same across Oregon.

“The surge in distribution of emergency food boxes in the first quarter of this fiscal year has been dramatic,” said Jean Kempe-Ware of the Oregon Food Bank. “Layoffs, foreclosures and other economic disruptions are taking a terrible toll on our neighbors.”

She said distribution of food boxes throughout Oregon and southwest Washington increased 12 percent over the same time last year.

In Eastern Oregon, the need increased by 14 percent as reported by Community Connection, which serves Baker, Union, Grant and Wallowa counties.

The Oregon Food Bank reports that about 200,000 people eat from emergency food boxes each month, 36 percent of them children.

Thanksgiving boxes

As the holidays approach, local organizations are ramping up efforts to gather food donations so families in need will have sufficient food.

Earlier this month the Seventh-day Adventist Church collected food for its annual Thanksgiving boxes, a tradition that dates back more than 50 years.

And the community didn’t disappoint.

“The Lord has blessed us with more food than we’ve ever had,” said Alice Laabs, who teaches at the church school with her husband, Gary.

The students have a hand in each part of the project, from distributing and gathering donations to loading boxes and delivering the day before Thanksgiving.

So far they’ve received 118 requests for boxes, but the group is prepared for about 200.

“We always get a few at the last minute,” said Bonnie Entermille, who helps organize the program.

Families in need can still sign up for a Thanksgiving box at the Department of Human Services, 3165 10th St.

Contents in the boxes are determined by family size — from single senior citizens to families of 10. Each includes canned vegetables and fruits, meat (First Presbyterian Church donates turkeys every year), rolls and other makings for a holiday meal.

Also, several women donate lots of pies — we’re talking 60 pumpkin pies — as well as cookies and breads.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Thanksgiving box program can call the church school at 523-4165 or Entermille at 523-2019.

Boost from Boy Scouts

The local food banks received a boost this month when the Boy Scouts canvassed Baker City to gather 3,375 pounds of food.

That amount was divided between four food banks — the Compassion Center, The Salvation Army, Bread of Life of Baker County (sponsored by the Baker City Christian Church with help from the First Presbyterian Church and Harvest Church) and the Catholic Church food bank.

The Salvation Army is preparing for its annual Christmas box distribution (150, plus more than 60 to shut-in seniors).

But they need food to fill those boxes.

“Donations are starting to come in, however we’re in need of every kind of food,” said Holli Diamond, The Salvation Army’s family services coordinator for Baker, Union and Wallowa counties.

She said the food bank shelves are depleted due to more people in need.

“We’ve had more new clients this year — we’ve probably doubled,” she said.

Anyone wishing to donate may take nonperishable food to The Salvation Army, 2505 Broadway St. Monetary donations are also welcome, which are used to purchase food from the Oregon Food Bank.

“You end up getting more for your money,” Diamond said.

Albertsons is also helping The Salvation Army through the Turkey Bucks program. Customers may donate $1, $5 or $10, and every $40 raised will provide a full turkey dinner to a local family.

“Our goal is to get between $4,500 and $5,000 before Thanksgiving,” said Marc Ruberti, store manager.

They will repeat the same program in December to help provide Christmas dinners.

Also, Diamond said food drives will begin in local schools on Dec. 1, and the Army’s signature red kettles will be out the day after Thanksgiving.

Speaking of those kettles, Diamond needs volunteers to ring the bells.

“Anyone who wants to volunteer can pick their day and time,” she said.

For more information about The Army’s programs, or to volunteer, call 523-5853.