Whidbey Island Nourishes, the volunteer-run group that provides free lunches to children in need on the South End, is reaching out for a helping hand.
Mary Fisher of Whidbey Island Nourishes said the program is negotiating a partnership with the Goosefoot Community Fund.
“We have had one meeting with Debbie Torget (Goosefoot operations manager) to let her know how our program works and a general budget,” Mary Fisher said.
“We see a great need for people to learn how to cook — both nutritiously, as well as cost effectively,” Fisher added.
With that in mind, WIN hopes a partnership with Goosefoot might help make that happen.
The program already has a number of volunteers who have the knowhow to teach cooking.
“We are at the very beginning of this new relationship, but both parties are very excited about the potential,” Fisher said.
Whidbey Island Nourishes continues its success at getting food to the children who need it most through several pickup locations.
Since Island Coffeehouse & Books is closed for remodeling, the Langley pickup location was moved to Good Cheer Thrift Store, and teens have found it convenient to get their lunches where they shop. Fisher is hoping to be able to keep one refrigerator at Good Cheer even after the coffeehouse reopens.
Lunches can also be picked up at the Good Cheer Food Bank in Bayview and at Good Cheer 2 in Clinton.
A new pickup location is available in Freeland, thanks to the generosity of Richard Epstein, who has agreed to keep a refrigerator outside his Richard Epstein, Inc. offices on Harbor Avenue between Wells Fargo Bank and US Bank. Epstein has also offered to provide all the materials and labor to build a surround and lock for the refrigerator.
The lunches were stocked there beginning Monday, March 15.
WIN volunteers were busy in the middle school kitchen last week, making jam to be sold at the annual fundraising Vegetable Garden Tour on Aug. 7. Garden docents are needed for three-hour shifts the day of the tour.
For questions and more info, call Fisher at 579-2329 or,
