Food For All raises $32,000 in support of WAGAP Food Banks
Jennifer Pauletto (left) checks in guests Lorrie and Lloyd DeKay.
From Washington Gorge Action Programs:
By Tamara Kaufman
Bingen, WA. Aug. 31, 2023- The WAGAP Food Bank Network team is very happy to thank everyone who participated in the 2023 Food For All summer concert fundraiser held at AniChe Cellars in Underwood in August. Together, donors and sponsors raised over $32,000 to support those fighting food insecurity in Skamania and Klickitat counties.
These funds are a welcome boost to the team as it recently lost deliveries from a major supplier, Second Harvest, that provided meat and lots of fresh produce. Combined with rising food prices and a reduction in SNAP benefits, the team has a big job ahead of them to fulfill all of the local needs.
The WAGAP team enjoys a moment together at the end of the evening.
Janeal Booren leads the team as the Nutrition Programs Director with nearly twenty years of experience. She first worked across the river for Mid Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) as the Regional Food Bank Coordinator and the Child and Adult Care Food Program Coordinator for eleven years before coming over to a growing WAGAP Food Bank program.
Over time, Booren has helped the team expand the Network, which now includes a central warehouse with distribution sites in Bingen, Stevenson, Klickitat, and Goldendale, and a Mobile Food Bank. The emphasis is not only on providing nutritious food. “I feel that staff and volunteers are kind of like family,” Booren said, “and I try to create an atmosphere that encourages a caring environment.”
Booren celebrates their work. “We all do similar jobs, and there are a lot of shared activities. Most crossover between the different food banks, and it definitely takes a team to get the job done. Each area works a little differently, but the care and commitment are the same when it comes to the clients.”
Meredith Kaye Clark performed a rendition of Joni Mitchell's 'Blue' album.
“We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the community,” Booren emphasized. “We receive funds, food, volunteers, and even help spreading the word.” She adds that communities on the Washington side of the river do a great job rallying together when an area is affected.
COVID-19 put everyone to the test. There was a huge increase in needed support, and no one anticipated that the effects would last over three years. “The support of the community was the most impactful and allowed us to keep distributing the quantity and quality of food,” Booren said.
The team was excited to get back to an in-person Food For All fundraiser, the first since 2019. “We are truly grateful for all the support that the Food For All has brought to our food banks!” Booren said. “It was wonderful to see all the new and returning faces of those who are helping us take care of our neighbors!”
Booren invites people to participate in the WAGAP Food Bank Network all year round. In addition to donating money, she says sharing excess produce from community member gardens helps to supplement food boxes. Volunteer opportunities to help create food boxes, package produce, and help clients are available in Bingen and Goldendale.
To learn more about the WAGAP Food Bank Network, go to https://www.wagap.org/food-banks- nutrition. For further questions about volunteer opportunities, call (509) 493-2662 extension 208. Donations are also welcome online at https://www.wagap.org/donate or can be dropped off at a WAGAP location or mailed to WAGAP at P.O. Box 805, Bingen, WA 98605.
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Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Community Action Agency that helps individuals, families, and communities. WAGAP addresses basic human needs, including food, shelter, energy assistance, and more, in Skamania and Klickitat Counties. For more than 50 years, WAGAP has helped people help themselves and reach self-sufficiency. Learn more at wagap.org, or contact WAGAP at (509) 493-2662 or info@wagap.org.
