Thanksgiving Day provides time to be thankful and show gratitude. Those who have been blessed with a warm home, plenty of food and a day off can show appreciation by feeding neighbors who have struggled this year.
According to Feeding America, a national nonprofit organization that supports 200 food banks throughout the United States, 10.2 percent of Clark County’s residents — about 48,070 people — couldn’t count on having enough food in 2019. Hunger isn’t always obvious in our community, but it’s persistent and prevalent.
Given that many people volunteer during the holidays, some of the organizations listed below may have sufficient help putting together Thanksgiving meals. Donations of food and money are always welcome, however, and several of these groups are seeking volunteers for the rest of the year.
Meals remain takeout only this year. Hopefully, next year diners can share a Thanksgiving feast together in a warm, safe place.
Share Vancouver
2306 N.E. Andresen Road, Vancouver; 360-448-2121; sharevancouver.org
Spots cooking hot meals on Thanksgiving almost always fill up a year in advance, but Share needs help in its kitchen every day of the year.
Share’s Holiday Cheer program still needs help filling food boxes that provide a holiday meal for families of four to 10 people. Donors provide non-perishable food and gift cards in the amount of $10 to $25 to allow families to choose their own protein options for their holiday table. The Holiday Cheer website includes a list of needed items.
Any extra food will go to other programs like Share’s Backpack Program, which provides 500 kid-friendly food boxes to 33 schools in the Evergreen and Vancouver school districts every other week. The program also gives 600 to 650 bags of food on Thursdays during the school year to help provide food to low-income families over the weekend.
Clark County Food Bank
6502 N.E. 47th Ave., Vancouver; 360-693-0939; clarkcountyfoodbank.org
Every day, volunteers sort through thousands of pounds of donated food and repack it in boxes for program participants. Training isn’t required, and there aren’t any minimum volunteer hours required. Shifts typically run for an hour or two. To get started, fill out the “sign me up” form on the agency’s volunteer web page. Food donations can be dropped off at the food bank’s warehouse or at partner organizations.
The Salvation Army
1500 N.E. 112th Ave., Vancouver; 360-892-9050; vancouver.salvationarmy.org
The Salvation Army’s food box program is a month-long event. Seasonal boxes are available throughout the month as supplies permit. Volunteers are needed today, as well as Monday through Wednesday. Food pantry hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A mandatory training is held at 9 a.m. Volunteers work in three-hour shifts (9 a.m. to noon and noon to 3 p.m.) sorting, stocking, packing and delivering food boxes to the curbside for pickup. For questions about volunteering, call 360-448-2873 or email kaylie.klicke@usw.salvationarmy.org.
Food donations are always welcome. Current needs include canned fruit, vegetables, pasta, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, turkey and stuffing. Monetary donations are also appreciated so the Salvation Army can buy food wholesale.
Donations can be dropped at the 112th Avenue location.
Beaches Restaurant
1919 S.E. Columbia River Drive; 360-699-1592; beachesyghf@gmail.com
Beaches Restaurant is closed on Thanksgiving, but is organizing delivery of boxed meals to groups of 20 or more this year. Drivers are needed, as well as people to assemble boxes at Beaches Restaurant and the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds.
Rachel Pinsky: couveeats@gmail.com
