Sisters Food Bank facing supply crisis

This summer, just as more folks have requested help, donations have tapered off at the Sisters Food Bank.

Operated by the Kiwanis Club of Sisters with community volunteers, the food bank has seen a 30-percent increase in customers in the past six months. A substantial rise in food prices has contributed to the problem. An added blow to the program has been a decrease in supplies received from Oregon Food Bank, NeighborImpact and government entities.

Sisters Food Bank Operations Manager Naomi Rowe estimates government-issued supplies are about 40 percent less than last year, and many of her contacts expect the rate of supply to continue falling in the coming months.

Until now, donations from the community and Kiwanis funds have been filling the gap and propping up the operation, but the situation has reached a tipping point. As a result, fresh food such as milk, eggs, cheese and produce purchased by Kiwanis to supplement emergency food boxes for the last year will likely be drastically reduced - or cut entirely. Other items traditionally available have also become too expensive to be purchased by the club. These items include soups, dried mashed potatoes, syrup, condiments and other "nonessentials."

As the economy continues to falter, the Kiwanis committee overseeing food bank operations understands many families in the Sisters community are also experiencing hard times. According to Kiwanis officials, one key point folks hearing about the food bank often miss is that its purpose is to provide an emergency supplement when benefits from other assistance programs such as food stamps have run out.

The food bank provides assistance only to Sisters community families; each applicant must reside within Sisters School District boundaries.

Customers are allowed only one visit a month and receive enough food for five meals. To be eligible to receive the food boxes, they are required to sign a statement certifying their monthly income is below a government-set amount, and truthfully indicate the number of dependents in residence.

Since March, Kiwanians and community members have stepped up and provided more volunteers to get food into the hands of the hungry. Every week, 10 dedicated, unpaid folks show up to sort donations from local food establishments and citizens, shelve supplies and parcel out the food. Others have turned up with fresh produce from their church and community gardens to add to the staples and non-perishables the food bank provides.

Sisters Kiwanis, as always, welcomes community donations of supplies or money for the Food Bank. Operating as a 501c(3) not-for-profit organization, donations to the food bank are tax-deductible, and receipts for your donations are available. For an updated list of items needed or to drop off a check, call Naomi Rowe at 541-549-5694. She can also answer questions regarding volunteer opportunities. The Food Bank is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday, and located at 225 N. Oak St.