The Everett Child Development Center (CDC) held its fifth annual food drive for Volunteers of America Everett Food Bank last week
delivering the food Tuesday. This year’s total food weight collected came to 496 pounds.
“This year we collected animal food as well as normal food. It was really good because allot of people that use the food bank have
pets as well and have a hard time feeding them too,” said Joel “Tom” Bowlin, CDC cook.
The food drive was held for just one week vice the normal two week period. The CDC holds the food drive in March to help supplement
the food drives held over the winter. A friendly competition is held between the CDC classes and this year the Teddy Bear class
brought in the most food.
“I think the food drives are great,” said Bowlin, “It’s really an uplifting event when I deliver the food to the people at the food bank
who are so appreciative of everything we bring.”
Volunteers of America Everett Food Bank is the distribution site for all of 20 Snohomish County food banks. In the month of January,
6,000 households were assisted helping approximately 11,000 people. Sixty percent of people that are annually helped out by the
food bank are children and two percent are seniors.
“You guys are awesome. Anything over 300 pounds is wonderful,” said Kathleen Dale, food bank administrator. “Our reserves are
getting low and clients are up by 35 percent so the food came just in time.”