Food Bank working with area high schools and churches to fulfill annual Food Basket Program
BATTLE GROUND — The North County Community Food Bank (NCCFB) is in the process of moving thousands of pounds of food out to 161 families in need.
Volunteers from Summit View and Prairie high schools, as well as adult community volunteers, worked this week at the Battle Ground Community Center to pack all the food into boxes.
“We can’t do it without the help of the community,” said John Idsinga, the board president for the NCCFB. “Our goal is to service this food to all the Battle Ground school district. So, it goes back into, basically, the same 270-some-odd square miles of Clark County.”
Idsinga has been with the organization for 22 years. Prior to heading the massive food operation, he was on the Battle Ground City Council and served as mayor from 2000 to 2006.
NCCFB was founded as a Christmas Food Drive in the late 1970s by area resident Everett Eaton. It was then headed by Bob and Thelma Birch in the mid 1980s. Bob Birch worked with Idsinga, and by 1996, had handed the operation over to him, Idsinga said.
This year, the organization is overseeing the supply of food to some 500 families in north county, many of which are “adopted” by other families and churches. Those not adopted are helped by the volunteers working this month.
The majority of volunteers were students from nearby high schools, including Prairie and Summit View, with Firm Foundation Christian School lending a hand the second day.
“I came here today to help the environment, to help people that are in need of food,” said Prairie High School student Jennifer Skelton.
Each family will receive a personal food basket or box packed with canned goods and dry food. Large families are given turkeys and smaller families receive a chicken. A gallon of milk, butter, brown sugar, and cheese are also among the items supplied.
All together, each family will receive, on average, 135 pounds of food this winter.
Rocky’s Pizza in Battle Ground took on the job of feeding the volunteers. They donated enough pizza to feed the dozens of volunteers working for a full two days this week.
For more information on volunteering, donating or to contact the NCCFB board, visit their website or Facebook page.
