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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Collection helps food bank keep serving

Melissa Pamer Staff writer

Since moving to Spokane Valley from the Los Angeles area almost three years ago, Angela Matson’s life has been more difficult than she had hoped.

Caring for her two special-needs sons prevented her from working. Daniel, 13, is autistic and Michael, 6, has attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder.

Matson was forced to rely on federal assistance and food stamps. But she was still having trouble feeding her children.

Then she found Spokane Valley Partners’ food bank, where she’s been going once a month for more than two years.

The emergency food bank is one of 21 in Spokane County supplied by Second Harvest Inland Northwest, which has teamed up with The Spokesman-Review for this week’s food drive.

“If it wasn’t for the food banks at Second Harvest, I’d be struggling every month,” Matson said. “I wouldn’t be able to get the kids the things they need.”

More than 15,000 people in the county seek provisions at community food banks at least once a month, and 42 percent of those in need are children under 17, according to Second Harvest’s 2006 client survey, which also showed that nearly 60 percent of parents skip meals so that their children can eat.

The 11th annual Spokesman-Review food drive will help keep the shelves stocked at Second Harvest. Newspapers this week contain a pink bag that can be filled with donations of nonperishable foods – for example, grains, canned fish and meats, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, and boxes of macaroni and cheese. On Friday night, contributors can leave the bag for pickup where the carrier delivers the newspaper. Bags of food will be picked up by Second Harvest volunteers Saturday morning. Spokane area fire stations will have collection barrels as well.

Last year, Second Harvest distributed 14.3 million pounds of food to programs in 26 counties in Eastern Washington and North Idaho, said Rod Wieber, the organization’s director of donor and community relations.

The newspaper’s food drive comes at a key time for needy families with school-age children, Wieber said.

“We’re coming to summer break, and children who were getting one to two subsidized meals at school will be at home,” Wieber said.