Donations, need, set records

By Jodi Kerr 

The Stayton Community Food Bank has seen a record number of cash donations and has finished sorting and organizing the eight tons of donated food.

Edna Rickman, manager of the local food bank, is thankful to Lions Club which coordinated the donation efforts at businesses and schools. 

“We have had tremendous support from the community,” Rickman said. “It really is unbelievable. We had a record number of cash and food donations.”

With the economy tightening volunteers at the food bank are seeing more multigenerational families come through the door. 

“In November we had 44 more families come through the door. In December we passed out 271 boxes of food,” Rickman said.

She believes more and more parents and their grown children are moving in together as families tighten their belt. 

“If you do things right, you can maintain a good household doing that. It is wise to do that. It allows grandparents to help with children and the younger member of the families can go out and work,” she said.

Still the most common food bank recipient is a senior or single mother with children. 

“It has been constant, we still give out a lot of senior boxes every month,” Rickman said.

When the food bank hands out a box, it goes directly to the families in the community. 

“We require proof of address, so we can make sure our donations are helping our surrounding community of Stayton, Sublimity, West Stayton, Marion and rural Aumsville,” Rickman said.