Editor,

We are writing in response to the recent article highlighting Queen Bee Pantry’s excellent work. Here at Good Cheer, an organization dedicated to fighting hunger in our community, we’re glad to see such important efforts recognized. The need for food assistance remains critical in our region and across the nation. Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap shows Island County’s food insecurity rate at nearly 11%. At Good Cheer, we’ve seen a 22% increase in households visiting our food bank this year. These numbers underscore the growing challenge we all face in ensuring no one in our community goes hungry.

We believe that ending hunger requires everyone in the community working together, and we’re proud to be part of this vital work alongside Queen Bee Pantry.

While the article didn’t mention Good Cheer by name, it talked about clients using “points” to shop. Our food bank works in a similar way, so we wanted to explain and clarify our system. We give shopping points based on how many people are in a household. We also give additional points at times of extra need. Anyone in Washington state is welcome to visit our food bank.

We only ask for a small amount of information, and sharing it is optional. We request a name, phone number, age and how many people live in the household. We never ask for documentation of any kind – for example, we don’t ask for ID or proof of income. Recently, we stopped asking for addresses to increase privacy for those who shop with us.

Our new intake form states: “You don’t have to answer any personal questions you don’t feel comfortable answering. We do not ask for documentation of any kind. We will not share your personal information outside of Good Cheer.” We believe this change will improve the experience for individuals and families seeking assistance from Good Cheer Food Bank. Our goal is to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry, and we’re always looking for ways to make our services as accessible and supportive as possible.

We appreciate the opportunity to clarify our operations and affirm our commitment to serving the community with compassion and respect. We’re proud to be a part of a network of organizations that are working to help create a resilient and nourished island for all.

Karen Korbelik, Sarah Benner-Kenagy, Kate Larson

Good Cheer Executive Team