Neighbors in Need Report + July 5, 2025

We frequently write about the number of Neighbors that the pantry serves. Here is a good look at the organizing and volunteer power that our Neighbors appreciate:

• Chuck works in room 6 every Monday to take an inventory and to stage foods to be bagged on the next Saturday

• Based on Chuck's counts, John orders foods, condiments, coffee supplies, and such serving supplies as burrito wraps and napkins

• John also makes a weekly trip to Edmonds Food Bank. The Food Bank team load his pickup FULL of nutrition. Thanks to them, we can send our Neighbors back outside with a weekend supply of good meals.

• The Food Bank visits twice every Saturday. They bring fresh salads and fresh fruit. Our Neighbors can choose their favorites.

• Advocates Recovery Services gifts our pantry with breads and pastries, coffee, and the always popular hoagie sandwiches. Tony shops for us at Salt of the Earth - plentiful "good "stuff".

• Jude makes a weekly trip to Franz Bakery for a variety of breads and rolls. She finds every Neighbor's favorites.

• Trinity's garden is currently supplying fresh salad greens, green onions and peas. There will be an abundance of tomatoes in the very near future.

• Thank you to Mike for adding radishes from his home garden. Our Neighbors consider fresh radishes a delicacy. It's fun to see.

• Tom was in today! 🙂 He has shared from his home garden for many years. He delivered fresh squash this morning.

• Jean Kim Foundation Hygiene Center gifts NiN with most (most as in full cases) of the toiletries that our Neighbors need.

• Bella's Voice Thrift Shop is another partner to Neighbors in Need pantry. They gift food and treats to our regular four-legged guests who are so life giving.

This is a long list. Our pantry and the volunteers who serve there are a very big deal.

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Members of St Philopateer St Demiana were with us this morning. They were everywhere! Once burritos were finished and in the warming oven, they went looking for work. Some worked in the clothing bank, some served coffee and burritos, and others were in the pantry.

This team includes their children in serving. Their presence blesses all of us, including the Neighbors.

As always, our Neighbors benefitted from medical care this morning. Thank you, Christine, who serves with Advocates for Recovery. You help make good health practices possible for our Neighbors.

It was a good morning, just like they all are. Seriously, our volunteers are blessed by our working together and by the gratitude that our Neighbors express. We're pretty sure they feel the same way.

We wish you peace,

Joan

For NiN leadership.