Food, toy donations sought for Operation Friendship

MOSES LAKE — Donations of toys and money are being solicited for Operation Friendship, the annual toy drive for the Moses Lake Food Bank.

Of course, donations of food are being solicited as well; people will need food during the Christmas season and beyond, said director Peny Archer.

The demand for the food bank’s services is still high, Archer said, “but so is the demand for toys.” Every family wants to have presents under the tree for the kids, she said. Whatever the family’s status, the children had nothing to do with getting there, Archer said, and as children can’t do anything about it.

The food bank’s distribution is scheduled for Dec. 17; it’s for Moses Lake families only.

Toys are distributed to parents who sign up, and they can sign up during food bank hours, 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Parents will receive papers with the required information, which they must bring with them when they come to pick up the packages.

The food bank is focusing on toys for children from newborns to 12 years of age; any toys that might be age-appropriate for teenagers will be distributed to families with teens. Food bank operators are looking for donations of new toys, $10 to $15 in value. (The food bank would rather have a lot of relatively less expensive toys than a few relatively more expensive ones, Archer said.)

Toys should be donated unwrapped – back in the day a grinch brought something inappropriate in a wrapped box. Donations of money are also being accepted. All donations earmarked for toys go to buy toys, Archer said.

Of course, donations of food and money for food are accepted – and will be accepted after Christmas and year-round. Kids will be home for the week after Christmas, and parents will be making more meals, Archer said. “The toys and the food are in high demand this month.”

The needs don’t stop after the holiday season, she said in an earlier interview. “Food isn’t like a sweater,” it’s only consumed once, she said. She estimated more than 60 percent of the food distributed by the food bank goes to children and senior citizens.

Donations can be dropped off at the food bank anytime when volunteers are there, Archer said, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.