VOLUME 25, ISSUE 1
2024 Wrapped
The Toy Store
The 2024 Holiday Toy Store was a resounding success, bringing holiday cheer to 2,305 children. Each child received a warm coat, hat, book, and a selection of toys chosen personally by their parents to create a truly special holiday experience. This accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without the overwhelming generosity of our community. We extend a heartfelt thank you and sincere gratitude to Grove Church for graciously hosting the Toy Store in their facility.
Most importantly, we are deeply grateful for the financial contributions from the community, which made it possible to provide these gifts to the children in need. We also extend our heartfelt appreciation for the in-kind donations from community members, organizations, and businesses. With so many to thank, we will provide a list of donors our website.
We wish to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our dedicated volunteers. Their countless hours of hard work and unwavering commitment during this busy season were instrumental in bringing smiles to these children’s faces are truly priceless. We cannot thank them enough for their incredible commitment!
Holiday Distribution & Total Families Served in 2024
We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who helped us provide holiday meals to meet the needs of our community.
Thanksgiving: 1,059 families, a 32% increase from 2023.
Christmas: 878 families, a 10% increase from 2023.
In 2024, we served 26,880 families which is an 11% increase from the previous year.
As we continue to see a rise in food insecurity within our community, your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. Donating online or setting up monthly donations is easy through our website. Only together, can we work towards eliminating hunger in Marysville!
Volunteers in the Spotlight
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
July: Zita Pryor
Zita has been volunteering at the MCFB for about four years now. You can find her sorting produce on Tuesdays or helping out with home deliveries. Zita retired from her IT Manager position five years ago, and now enjoys reading, gardening, puzzles, and most of all — spending time with her family. Originally, she started to help at the food bank because she heard there was a need and it ended up being quite close to where she lives. Thank you, Zita, for answering that call and for all that you do to serve our clients!
August: Tom Mack
Tom first got started at the Food Bank a decade ago, but says he has been more active over the last five or so years. He’s always had a heart for those who need a little extra support, as he used to work for the city of Seattle partnering with non-profits to create low-income affordable and homeless housing. He’s grateful to have never gone without food, and wants to works towards that being a reality for all in his community. We’re grateful for Tom and his wife Fran who have helped in several areas: Food for Thought, deliveries as needed, and food pick ups from grocery stores.
September: Aaron Clark
Meet Aaron! You can find him helping stock and organize shelves prior to distribution. Aaron has a really unique hobby he shares with his dad — making fountain pens for friends and family. What started as a way to earn credits towards graduating, led him to stick around and continue helping the food bank for more than three years. Thank you Aaron!
October: Sheila Eastman
Sheila has been around for over 10 years. It all started when she came in to the Food Bank with donations and was told they needed plastic bags. Ever since, she’s been a dedicated volunteer organizing canned goods on Mondays and Fridays. As a retired para-educator, she enjoys reading and gardening, as well as going to car shows with her husband who built her a ‘57 Chevy Nomad. Thank you, Sheila, for your heart to serve your community!
November: Tom & Nan Street
Tom is retired from Boeing, while Nan retired from working at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Together, they were nominated as volunteers of the month because of their evident commitment to giving back to their community through the food bank starting in early 2024. They started helping with produce distribution, after friends and family suggested they look into volunteering with us. Thank you, Tom and Nan for all that you do for our community!
December: Gail Frost
Gail is a mom to three dogs and keeps busy with the Strawberry Festival and Rotary Suppers. Before retiring, she owned her own clothing stores and spent some time in Tennessee as a manager at Sears. She’s glad to be part of the Marysville Community Food Bank because she believes in what we provide for the community. We couldn’t do it without people like you, Gail! Thank you for all that you do!
Letter from the Director
Holiday Wishes, New Year Dreams!
As we step into 2025, we all have New Year goals. Our mission remains steadfast: Enhancing the lives of our neighbors by nourishing their bodies, hearts, and souls to build a brighter future. Alongside this, we embrace this belief:
Where Hunger Ends, Hope Begins.
Without hope, why try? Every day, we provide hope by helping our clients overcome food insecurity.
In 2024, we achieved remarkable milestones together:
Distributed over 1.7 million pounds of food to families in need.
Distributed over 179 thousand poundsof weekend meals to students.
Provided holiday cheer to 2,305 children.
Expanded our outreach programs, ensuring more individuals had access to nutritious food.
As we welcome the New Year, we reflect on the incredible impact your generosity has had on our community. Thanks to your unwavering support, we have been able to nourish the bodies, hearts, and souls of our neighbors, providing them with the hope and sustenance they need to build a brighter future.
Your continued support is crucial in making this mission a reality. Together, we can ensure that no one in our community goes hungry and that everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Please consider donating today to help us continue our vital work.
Thank you for your generosity and commitment. We look forward to achieving even greater things together in the year ahead.
Wishing you a prosperous and joyful New Year!
With warm regards,
— Amy Howell
Executive Director
Coming Soon: Brand Refresh
New Year, New Look and Strategy!
Entering 2025 means the Marysville Community Food Bank is preparing to launch the long-anticipated brand refresh.
What does this mean?
The next newsletter you read will contain the same information, but will look a little different. Same goes for the soon to be updated website. Imagine more colors, an updated logo, and new taglines that better capture our heart to serve and welcome ALL.
We have put hundreds of hours of thought and care into ensuring the way we communicate our mission, vision, values, and services. Statistically, there are far more people in Marysville experiencing severe food insecurity compared to the number of people who turn to the Food Bank for help. We want more people feeling comfortable coming to the Food Bank and leaving with not just with full carts — but full hearts and with hope for a brighter future.
Until then, enjoy some sneak peaks in this issue and... STAY TUNED.
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