 |
Commission tabs Coleman to fill county clerk
position
Day service will
close; reopening possible
Students attempt
their own `Mission to Mars'
F.I.S.H.
prepares for
barren cupboards |
Despite a record-breaking season of giving, the emergency
food agency's organizers worry there will be no carry
over into the new year |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
|
Although it looks as though the cupboards are bursting right now at the
headquarters of Newberg F.I.S.H. (Friends In Service to Humanity), organizers fear the
food won’t last.
In a year in which families in Oregon have dealt with a fragile economy and
the highest unemployment rates in the nation, food boxes are being distributed in record
numbers, said Judie Christensen, executive director of the program.
Even though December donations are usually enough to carry the program well
into February, Christensen worries there will not be enough food to get them far into the
new year.
“Cash donations are down from previous years, the Christmas season will
be over and we’ll still have three more high demand months ahead of us,” she
said, offering up a plea for cash donations to help them to get through the holidays.
She’s also asking that volunteers remember F.I.S.H. after the holidays when extra
assistance is scarce.
Due to increased demand from the community for food and help with everything
from clothing and assistance with paying utility bills, the program is low in funds. That
means extras people have come to depend on from F.I.S.H. will no longer be available.
Lately F.I.S.H. has been referring clients to YCAP (Community Action Program
of Yamhill County), the Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul.
“We have been cutting those services and are now focusing on food
boxes,” she said.
Between November and December the need has been the highest she’s seen.
“The last food bill was about $11,000 to feed the people in the area,” she said.
The money and donations went to feed about 800 people in the Newberg area alone.
Normally the food bill totals about $3,000 a month. The program has also seen an
unusually high number of homeless people asking for non-cooking boxes.
“It’s Christmas time and it’s a real downer,” Christensen
said. “Our philosophy is to try to keep people in their houses. But many people are
down and out already. And when they are already at the bottom and are hit with more
problems it’s difficult to climb back up.”
Christensen said she worries that if the program receives no more assistance
it could close down in six months. “But I have faith,” she said. “God will
take care of us. He always does and always will.” |
|
From Dec. 24,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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