LANGLEY — Good Cheer Food Bank in Langley has received the 2007 excellence award from Food Lifeline, the state’s largest nonprofit food network.
Good Cheer was awarded $5,000 for its efforts in community resource development.
But Good Cheer’s executive director Kathy McLaughlin doesn’t see it that way.
“The community won it,” she said. “The little kids who dressed as veggies and fruits for the fair parade, the seniors and volunteers who donate their time and efforts, the Soup Box Derby participants — everyone.”
The award was presented at Food Lifeline’s annual agency conference, held on March 19. The organization bestows awards to highlight how the more than 250 member agencies that Food Lifeline serves excel in creating ways to meet the needs of hungry people throughout Western Washington.
“We submitted all those activities that sum up all the positive good things that folks on South Whidbey have done,” McLaughlin said. “Basically, we won this in recognition for our efforts in spreading the word about hunger.”
The award was a surprise to McLaughlin. “Four big awards were given out for the year and we were honored to be one of the four chosen. Fifty applications were submitted so we have good reason to be very proud of our work.”
As the Excellence in Community Resource Development award-winner, Good Cheer needed to demonstrate the strategies it had in place to raise awareness of hunger, plus the resources it had developed in the community to fight hunger.
The winning effort included creating a logo, movable billboards, an information brochure, a two-color newsletter, a holiday appeal letter, a Website, a hunger awareness and outreach campaign, volunteer recruitment, and other efforts.
She added that all of it was made possible because of a dedicated team; a committed board of directors, dependable volunteers, a faithful staff and a supportive community.
Food Lifeline is the largest non-profit food bank distribution agency in Washington. Last year the organization delivered more than 21 million pounds of food to hungry people through its network of more than 250 neighborhood food banks, hot meal programs, shelters and other food providers.
And what will Good Cheer do with the award money?
“We will buy food for our clients,” McLaughlin said.
Jeff VanDerford can be reached at 221-5300 or jvanderford@southwhidbeyrecord.com.
