Heart BEAT

Center Sees Big Numbers

WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg Resource Center, which opened in the AmericanWest Bank in December 2010, is being used by our neighbors more than ever.

The city's food bank had been run out of the basement of the Presbyterian Church for 25 years until the bank offered up its space. The churches in town formed a board and its new visible spot and word of mouth is bringing more neighbors through the doors, said Bethany Moser, the chairwoman of the board.

The Leos Club at Waitsburg High School does a food drive for the food bank each year in addition to drives by other clubs and help from the Blue Mountain Action Council and individuals.

"There's lots of stuff that comes in all the time," Moser said.

The resource center is open Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. and Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. It serves those in the Waitsburg and Prescott school district boundaries, not just Waitsburg city limits.

The number of visitors fluctuates from week to week, Moser said. In October, the center had 182 people visit, representing 63 households.

"Just show up," Moser encourages those in need.

The center's volunteer staff will collect basic information, which is all kept confidential. The visitors are asked what kind of resources they need and paperwork is available for those who would like food commodities from the Blue Mountain Action Council.

All of the volunteers sign a confidentiality statement, she said.

Two volunteers work at a time and the center has a rotation of people who work who greet visitors, weigh food and help them with their needs.

Visitors are able to walk into the room where the food is kept, which looks like a small supermarket, and take what they need for their families. The food on the shelves ranges from cereal to canned goods, fresh fruits and even meat is kept in a large freezer.

Moser said the amount of food visitors can take may become more limited because they are seeing so many more people come through the door.

"Our bottom line is everybody gets food," said Pastor Bret Moser, of the Presbyterian Church.

In addition to food, the center offers personal hygiene items, laundry soap, dish soap and even toilet paper.

In addition to being a food bank, the volunteers also provide information on how to sign up for food stamps, the dental van, meals on wheels, how to obtain a free cell phone and all other kinds of information they may need.

During the holidays, visitors can sign up to receive a Christmas basket for their family -- a program ran through the local churches for Waitsburg families.

"We need lots of donors," Bethany Moser said of the baskets.

Baskets went out to 23 households in need last Christmas and the numbers are expected to be higher this year, she said.

"The numbers had jumped tremendously in the last month," she added.

When the center first opened in January 2011, 22 neighbors came through the door. That number nearly doubled by May and hit 62 in October. The center gave out 1,915 pounds of food in October alone.

And because the organization is faith-based, visitors can also obtain a free Bible or talk to a pastor.

"It's about caring for everyone, not just the poor," Bethany Moser said.

Part of the reason numbers are up is because the message about the center's services are being spread by word of mouth.

Also, a flier is sent home to parents during school conference time. The new location also makes the center more visible, and Bethany Moser said the bank lets the group use the location at no cost.

"It was a big gift," she said.

The center is open to suggestions about what others in the community may need. Bethany Moser said they are thinking about providing a place for people to do their laundry and providing a safe place for homeless teenagers.

The Ministerial Association raises money to help local families pay their power bills or provide a room and a hot meal for the homeless passing through town, Bret Moser said.

"They have nowhere to go and it's winter," he said.

The Mosers hope local food drives and individuals keep bringing in as much food as possible because the Blue Mountain Action Council matches what it collects in food and money for the center.

"The more people give, the better it is," he said.

They encourage families to buy food when there are sales at the grocery store. The center an take frozen items as well as eggs and fresh produce. To donate food, it can be dropped off at one of the town's churches or the resource center.

For those who can give money, there is a donation account at the Waitsburg Grocery Store that helps the volunteers keep the shelves full.