Local organizations saying 'Yes, we can!' | Community Spirit

Skyrocketing unemployment figures and a generally down economy are forcing a growing number of local families to rely on food banks to feed themselves and their children.

That added need puts a strain on the already overextended food banks and leaves food bank organizers scrambling to come up with ways to feed every mouth.

In an effort to help meet the growing demand, several local organization are taking a unique approach to helping feed the community.

Last summer the South King County Food Coalition joined forces with Northwest Harvest and Rotary First Harvest to start the "Yes, we CAN!" program,  which uses volunteers to can donated vegetables for local food banks.

According to SKCFC volunteer coordinator Basil Weiner, the organization has already canned more than 30,000 pounds of produce that would have gone to waste. That's more that 60,000 extra cans of produce distributed to the more than 12,000 families who visit our 11 local food banks each month.

The program is an unmitigated success, but if SKCFC wants to keep it going, it needs to find more volunteers willing to join the canning team.

Weiner said the organization gets together several times each month for day-long canning events at the LDS Cannery in Kent. Weiner is looking for people ages 16 and older who are willing to sort, thaw and can produce. There are three shifts each day: 9 a.m. to 1 pm, 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, and 12:30 to 4:30 pm.  Ten to twenty volunteers are needed for each shift.

More information is available online, and if you’d like to volunteer for the program, contact Weiner at southking@firstharvest.org or call (206) 579-6886.