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Dave Gilbert’s family has farmed a plot of land on Progress near Sixth Avenue since the mid-1940s when his parents, Vick and Onita, began harvesting squash, corn and other vegetables at a time when agriculture was still king in the Spokane Valley.
This spring, as he began the process of planting the traditional fall crop, Gilbert cleared aside several rows for potatoes after a donation of seeds and a charge to pass along the produce to the local food bank.
“I’ve donated to the food bank over the years,” Gilbert said. “This seemed like the helpful thing to do.”
Earlier this month, Gilbert called Barbara Bennett, director of the Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank, to inform her that the farm had produced a slew of potatoes – the only dilemma was that they needed to be picked and hauled to the food bank.
Bennett contacted Don Kaufman, SVP development director, to see if a group of volunteers could be found to help with the project. Around the same time, the agency received a call from the Fresh Abundance store at 32nd and Best regarding a cluster of surplus pumpkins and squash in an adjacent garden.
Again, more volunteers were needed to gather and drop off the vegetables.
Last Saturday morning, a dedicated group of nine workers gathered among the icy corn stalks in Gilbert’s orchard to unearth hundreds of potatoes lodged along four, 200-foot rows. The task was anything but glamorous – but by 1 p.m. the crew had collected 20 boxes of potatoes and five crates of turnips.
Along with the pumpkins and squash picked at the garden to the south by another team of volunteers, the total donation to the food bank weighed in at 1,190 pounds.
“It’s just amazing,” Bennett said. “This is food we wouldn’t have had that will be very appreciated.”
Dan and Pam Hansen brought their kids, Kelly and Kyle, to help at the Gilbert farm after receiving a call from Kaufman earlier in the week. Dan expressed hope that the humble harvest would benefit those in the area still dealing with the unsteady economy.
“This is a community thing,” Hansen said. “It’s about everybody chipping in. I’m hoping that some of these potatoes will end up on Thanksgiving tables.”
Dru Sanchez was one of four students from West Valley High School to volunteer last weekend. Despite the early morning start, Sanchez said the opportunity to make a positive difference was worth the effort.
“Overall, it makes your Saturday better,” she said. “You’re helping someone else.”
Pam said the support of local youth for the project – two students from Centennial Middle School also pitched in – provided an example of teenagers moving beyond the label of self-centered adolescent.
“I think those stereotypes get in the way,” she said. “They’ll only do as well as we expect them to.”
On Oct. 28, the food bank will begin accepting sign-ups for the annual Thanksgiving distribution set for Nov. 23-24. Kaufman said the recent addition of a 4,800-square-foot storage warehouse, complete with walk-in refrigerator and freezer, has meant a 10-fold increase in the inventory of fruits, vegetables and other perishables since the building opened this summer.
Along with the most recent gleaning donation, Bennett said a number of local cultivating projects – including “Plant a Row for the Hungry” and the Veradale United Church of Christ – have contributed a significant amount of produce over the years. This year, the church has brought in over 3,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables.
“These projects have really had an impact on the food bank,” she said.
Another gleaning effort will take place in Green Bluff on Saturday, Oct. 31 beginning at 9 a.m. Second Harvest of the Inland Northwest, Rotary Club West and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans are helping to coordinate the event which will provide area food banks with surplus crops from area farms and orchards. Residents can call Kaufman at SVP for more information on volunteering.
From volunteer time to food donations to monetary gifts, Kaufman said the concept of giving back to the community provides the foundation for social service organizations like SVP.
“It’s about those semi-random acts of kindness,” he said. “If everyone helped a little bit, it would make an incredible difference.”
Want to find out more?
The Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank is located at 10814 E. Broadway. Food distribution takes place each Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on this and other SVP programs such as the Women, Infants and Children clinic, call 927-1153.
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By
Craig Howard
