Hopes Santa delivers in July

The warehouse is full of big, cardboard boxes. One corner has boxes containing stacks of cornbread mixes, stuffing and other holiday foods. More boxes host a supply of soups. However, too many of the boxes are empty.

Inflation and high gas prices certainly aren’t helping donations to North Whidbey Help House when people need them the most. Help House workers hope the upcoming Christmas in July event will bring in some much-needed donations.

Help House collects donated food items and distributes them to people in need.

“People have a set income but the income isn’t keeping up with food and fuel prices. It does make a difference,” said Eric Mater, deputy director of Help House. The average income for the Help House’s civilian clients is $788 per month.

Donations of food or money are always welcome at the Help House. Any nonperishable canned or boxed food items work, as well as fresh garden produce. They are especially in need of fruit and protein items, such as peanut butter, tuna and pork and beans. Larger cans of food for larger families would be helpful. Money donations allow the Help House to purchase specific items they need. Also, more than 70 percent of operating funds come from private donations.

“In general, donations are down a bit and the number of clients is up. But we get people every day dropping off cans or checks; it’s a steady trickle,” said Mater.

Jean Wieman, executive director, said the biggest accomplishment of the Help House is that “we’ve never had to close our doors because we didn’t have any food.”

The Help House serves people from Deception Pass to Greenbank. This year to date, more than 6,200 people have been served through the Help House. That’s 268 more people than at this time last year, according to Wieman. That’s also 146 more food baskets than last year, bringing the total to more than 2,200 food baskets given this year.

“I’ve been seeing a lot more people who haven’t had to come in for years,” Wieman said. Some come in because they recently lost their jobs, but she’s also seeing seniors who say they’ve never had to do this before.

“We know everybody’s hurting due to raised prices. But if anyone has a few extra cans in their cupboards, we’ll take them,” said Wieman.

Due to making more food baskets and having fewer donations, the Help House has spent $2,600 more on food this year than last year.

“I think people just don’t have the money,” Wieman said.

Hopefully, Christmas in July will change things. The event was created more than 16 years ago as a means of restocking the Help House each summer.

“People always remember us during the holidays, so the stock we work with now is kind of low, but that’s normal,” Wieman said.

The event will take place on Saturday, July 19. Various civic and military organizations will distribute shopping lists outside Wal-Mart and local grocery stores. Shoppers can purchase one or more items on the list during their normal shopping time and drop them off as they leave.

Soroptimists of Oak Harbor will help organize the food donations as they come in. They’ve been participating in Christmas in July with the Help House since 1991.

“It remains to be seen how higher food prices will impact Christmas in July. Maybe people will take more interest or maybe people will think they don’t have enough money to do so,” Mater said.

Prior to Christmas in July, the Help House is holding an open house. The event will take place on Tuesday, July 15, from 4 to 6 p.m.

“Anybody who is curious can drop by and tour their community’s food bank and see how their donations get used and distributed,” said Mater.

The Help House is located at 1091 SE Hathaway St. Hours are 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays for donations. For more information or to RSVP for the open house, call 675-0681.