News | Lake Oswego Review
The volunteers at the West Linn Food Pantry don’t believe that people should go hungry. Since 2007, they have worked to provide food for hungry neighbors in West Linn and Lake Oswego, making sure the pantry doors are always open to those in need.
WLFP Executive Director Maury Morse and board member Phil Rees have especially soft spots in their hearts for hungry children. Acting on the belief that no child should go hungry, last spring Rees set out to do something about it.
Research Rees conducted showed there were children in need in West Linn — children who may not have enough food to eat on the weekends. Inspired by the national Feeding America BackPack Program — which provides children with enough nutritious and easy-to-prepare food to last a weekend, all packed in a special backpack — Rees developed the Home Plate program last spring and approached the counseling staff and principal at Willamette Primary about supporting needy children with food for the weekend.
“At first they said ‘no’,” Rees said. “There was too much red tape to go through. So I walked back to the pantry. But I hadn’t been here five minutes when the principal burst through the door saying they had reconsidered.” Last spring the school identified 35 children who could benefit from the free foods.
“The kids and their parents loved it!” said Morse. “And some of the families found their way to the food pantry, too.”
Recognizing a need for discretion when distributing the food packages, Rees chose to package the foods in a plain brown bag rather than a backpack. Working with counseling staff at all the West Linn primary schools this year’s program involves 46 students.
The Home Plate program provides a brown bag of nutritious and easy-to-prepare foods each Thursday. Rees and other WLFP volunteers deliver the bags to the counseling office, and leave distribution up to the schools.
“Some schools put the children’s name on the bag, others don’t,” said Rees. “But there is no ‘tell-tale’ backpack to carry in or out of school — just a plain brown bag that could hold anything.”
Morse said they purchase items for the Home Plate program, with consideration given for ease of preparation and on filling growing kids up.
“Our criteria is that the foods be hot and filling,” she said.
Each week volunteers conduct an assembly line to fill the bags required. The bags are packed with individual sized packages of peanut butter and jam, ramen soups, tuna, fruit cups, crackers, oatmeal, snack bars, fruit juice, popcorn, cocoa and granola. Then an inventory is taken in preparation for shopping for the next week.
“The kids don’t seem to mind having the same foods each week,” said Rees.
It costs about $4 to fill each bag, and with 46 students currently participating, the cost is a reasonable $144 each week. Rees and Morse say funding for the program is separate from that of the West Linn Food Pantry. Contributions to fund the program are greatly appreciated, as are contributions to the WLFP.
Those who would like to receive Home Plate bags should contact the counseling staff or principal at their elementary school.
The WLFP is open Thursdays from 3-6 p.m. It serves families in West Linn and Lake Oswego, offering a once-a-month food box containing a three-to-five-day supply of food. Perishable items such as bread, produce and pastries is available on a weekly basis.
Home deliveries can be arranged for seniors, individuals who are homebound or families without transportation.
The WLFP is located in the basement of Willamette United Methodist Church, 1683 Willamette Falls Drive in West Linn.
Volunteers and food donations are always welcome. Most needed pantry items include canned chicken and meats, soups, chili, stews, raviolis and pastas, oatmeal, peanut butter and jelly and personal care items. To learn more or volunteer call 503-915-9446 or visit westlinnfoodpantry.com.