Christmas holiday meal offered again at park drive through

By Matthew Nash • December 14, 2022 1:30 am
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Pat Phillips, past zone chairman with the Sequim Valley Lions, grabs some meal bags to place in a trunk on Nov. 18 during the Family Holiday Food Bag Distribution event. The event resumes on Dec. 16 in Carrie Blake Community Park.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Pat Phillips, past zone chairman with the Sequim Valley Lions, grabs some meal bags to place in a trunk on Nov. 18 during the Family Holiday Food Bag Distribution event. The event resumes on Dec. 16 in Carrie Blake Community Park.

Locals can return to Carrie Blake Community Park this Friday for their Christmas fixings at the Family Holiday Food Bag Distribution December event.

More than 800 meals were provided at the park and via deliveries at November’s Thanksgiving event.

December’s event is set for 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 starting in Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave. Vehicles can begin lining up at 10 a.m., organizers said.

Once signed in, drivers are directed along Blake Avenue into the park’s Water Reuse Demonstration Site where multiple teams load bags of food for drivers. Park distribution for the holiday meals started during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sequim Food Bank executive director Andra Smith said prior to the November event she’s seen about a 90 percent increase in need at the food bank in the last year.

As various agencies transition out of the pandemic with funding, Smith said monetary donations are key to helping the food bank sustain the increase in demand.

To make a donation online, visit sequimfoodbank.org; mail to: “Sequim Food Bank, P.O. Box 1453, Sequim WA, 98382.” Or, drop off a donation with staff at 144 W. Alder St.

The Sequim Food Bank, 144 W. Alder St., is open 1-4 p.m. Mondays, and 9 a.m.-noon Fridays and Saturdays. It’ll be closed Dec. 24 and 31. For more information, call 360-683-1205.