Royal City Food Bank seeks donations
Royal City Food Bank Royal City Food Bank volunteers bag fresh produce on Tuesday, April 7. To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, all volunteers wear masks and gloves, according to Mary McKinney, chairman for the Royal City Food Bank. All food is bagged up and given to food bank recipients through their car windows as no one is allowed to get out of their cars.
ROYAL CITY — The Royal City Food Bank has seen a drastic increase in the number of people needing food assistance since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, the food bank seeks donations to help fill the needs presented by the community.
“Tuesday (March 31), we gave out 287 boxes,” said Mary McKinney, chair for the Royal City Food Bank. “That takes up a lot of food. It has gone up about 100 (boxes).”
Non-perishable cans of food are one of the big things the food bank needs. It also takes donations of paper items, such as tissues, as well as plastic bags and cash.
The food bank gets some of the food it distributes from Second Harvest and Northwest Harvest. Second Harvest provides the rice and beans that the food bank distributes. McKinney said these foods are staples. Other food provided by Second Harvest varies widely and is not consistent. Northwest Harvest is able to provide some of the specific items needed.
“We are pretty lucky,” McKinney said. “We generally have quite a bit of produce.”
The downside to that is that the variety of vegetables can sometimes be narrow. The food bank hasn’t had fresh potatoes for a few weeks.
The Royal City Food Bank also is able to get some food from the Moses Lake Food Bank. Lately, the Moses Lake Food Bank has not been able to send as much as usual.
“They’ve been short lately,” McKinney said.
The food bank is able to purchase some foods by the pallet at a local grocery store. The rest of the food comes through community donations, food and cash.
“We would be thrilled with a cash donation,” McKinney said. “Then we can get what we want.”
McKinney described the various food items received as feast or famine.
“We go from one thing to another,” she said. “We take it one week at a time; one Tuesday at a time and then we go from there. Whatever anyone can do to help us is greatly appreciated.”
The Royal City Food Bank is at 229 Balsam St. During the COVID-19 crisis it has extended hours from Tuesdays from 12:30 to 3 p.m. to Tuesdays from 10:30 to 3 p.m. Anyone wishing to donate may call (509) 346-2679 and leave a message.
Rachal Pinkerton may be reached via email at [email protected].