North Pacific County Food Bank
Tax deductible
The Overlooked Generation
Like previous years this new year many of us will make a new year’s resolution. This time around my new year’s resolution will be different. Yes, I do need to lose weight, I could eat healthier foods, I could choose to eat less and I could exercise more. I can make these choices, making some, or all, of them. However, there are people who live in my community of Pacific County, Washington that do not have these choices available to them. They struggle economically to have enough money for food, warmth, housing and basic living needs, especially the elderly. I want to share with you a little about this county and the people who live in it.
Introduction
Pacific County consists of the following cities: Ilwaco, Long Beach, South Bend, and Raymond; and the following towns: Bay Center, Chinook, Lebam, Naselle, Ocean Park, Tokeland and Willapa. There are smaller populated areas with only a few individuals, but I will not be discussing them here.
Compared to most of Washington State, Pacific County cities and towns are economically depressed and have a higher percentage of mature/retired and elderly residents.
Table 1. Pacific County Cities and Towns compared to Seattle-Tacoma, WA and USA Percentage Age
When compared to Seattle-Tacoma, Washington State, and the United States, which all only have single digit percentages of residents over 70 years of age, all of Pacific County locations have more than 10% of the population 70+ years of age. The above table shows most Pacific County locations have more than 18% of their population over 70+ and two towns (Bay Center and Tokeland) have over 20% of the population aged 70+ years of age.
When 614 Washington State places are ranked by per capita income, the following Pacific County locations are in the lower 50th percentile: Ilwaco is ranked 345 with less than $23,000, Raymond is ranked 473 and South Bend is ranked 488 with both less than $20,000, Chinook is ranked 560 with less than $15,000 and Bay Center is ranked 610 with a per capita income of less than $10,000. Bay Center is one of the poorest locations in the state of Washington. In comparison the top ten locations have a per capita income close to or above $100,000.
"Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2014-03-05.
Review of the Overlooked Generation
The above introduction highlights some of the problems in Pacific County. Economically it is a depressed county and added to that it has a higher than average population of individuals over seventy years of age. This combination has lead to some of the difficulties faced by “The Overlooked Generation” of elders. These individuals often try to survive on a meager social security income of less than $10,000 per year. They are often are not veterans who qualify for additional financial assistance. They often have a history of working well into their seventies, or older, just to make ends meet. They are not seen begging on street corners but more often sit inside chilly homes wrapped in blankets due to the cost of heating. They are usually not a lazy generation and do not expect entitlements. I feel as a society many of us neglect the needs of this generation. Luckily, not everyone does. I want to introduce you to North Pacific County Food Bank (Formerly WHMA Food Bank).
The North Pacific County Food Bank (NPC Food Bank) is an example of this forgotten generation who are proactive in helping not only members of the mature population but all economically struggling individuals and families. Many of the individuals who volunteer there are elderly. In fact, I had the pleasure of delivering some of the Innova Stabilyze food bars to them and the receiving lady was over ninety years of age. The mature-aged individuals at the North Pacific County Food Bank try to help not only the mature-aged population but also other individuals within the community who require assistance with basic needs.
“FEEDING THE HUNGRY IS WHAT WE DO”
NPC Food Bank is located at 1899 Park Avenue, Raymond, WA, 98577.
They are a Nonprofit Organization and your donations to them are tax deductible.
I am requesting your assistance to help NPC Food Bank in feeding the hungry population and meeting some of their other basic needs. They can do it better with our help. Some of the urgent basic needs in this community include items like bar soap and toilet paper. We often judge individuals who appear unclean and do not smell as pleasant as we would like. Could it be that they do not have access to basic hygiene products or even hot water?
To achieve their goal of feeding the hungry the NPC Food Bank spends any extra money on food and struggles to help meet other basic needs. I am inviting you to help fight hunger and poverty together for a healthier community.
Please join me to make 2018 a wonderful year for North Pacific County Food Bank.
Storage
Receiving
Shopping Area
Like previous years this new year many of us will make a new year’s resolution. This time around my new year’s resolution will be different. Yes, I do need to lose weight, I could eat healthier foods, I could choose to eat less and I could exercise more. I can make these choices, making some, or all, of them. However, there are people who live in my community of Pacific County, Washington that do not have these choices available to them. They struggle economically to have enough money for food, warmth, housing and basic living needs, especially the elderly. I want to share with you a little about this county and the people who live in it.
Introduction
Pacific County consists of the following cities: Ilwaco, Long Beach, South Bend, and Raymond; and the following towns: Bay Center, Chinook, Lebam, Naselle, Ocean Park, Tokeland and Willapa. There are smaller populated areas with only a few individuals, but I will not be discussing them here.
Compared to most of Washington State, Pacific County cities and towns are economically depressed and have a higher percentage of mature/retired and elderly residents.
Table 1. Pacific County Cities and Towns compared to Seattle-Tacoma, WA and USA Percentage Age
When compared to Seattle-Tacoma, Washington State, and the United States, which all only have single digit percentages of residents over 70 years of age, all of Pacific County locations have more than 10% of the population 70+ years of age. The above table shows most Pacific County locations have more than 18% of their population over 70+ and two towns (Bay Center and Tokeland) have over 20% of the population aged 70+ years of age.
When 614 Washington State places are ranked by per capita income, the following Pacific County locations are in the lower 50th percentile: Ilwaco is ranked 345 with less than $23,000, Raymond is ranked 473 and South Bend is ranked 488 with both less than $20,000, Chinook is ranked 560 with less than $15,000 and Bay Center is ranked 610 with a per capita income of less than $10,000. Bay Center is one of the poorest locations in the state of Washington. In comparison the top ten locations have a per capita income close to or above $100,000.
"Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2014-03-05.
Review of the Overlooked Generation
The above introduction highlights some of the problems in Pacific County. Economically it is a depressed county and added to that it has a higher than average population of individuals over seventy years of age. This combination has lead to some of the difficulties faced by “The Overlooked Generation” of elders. These individuals often try to survive on a meager social security income of less than $10,000 per year. They are often are not veterans who qualify for additional financial assistance. They often have a history of working well into their seventies, or older, just to make ends meet. They are not seen begging on street corners but more often sit inside chilly homes wrapped in blankets due to the cost of heating. They are usually not a lazy generation and do not expect entitlements. I feel as a society many of us neglect the needs of this generation. Luckily, not everyone does. I want to introduce you to North Pacific County Food Bank (Formerly WHMA Food Bank).
The North Pacific County Food Bank (NPC Food Bank) is an example of this forgotten generation who are proactive in helping not only members of the mature population but all economically struggling individuals and families. Many of the individuals who volunteer there are elderly. In fact, I had the pleasure of delivering some of the Innova Stabilyze food bars to them and the receiving lady was over ninety years of age. The mature-aged individuals at the North Pacific County Food Bank try to help not only the mature-aged population but also other individuals within the community who require assistance with basic needs.
“FEEDING THE HUNGRY IS WHAT WE DO”
NPC Food Bank is located at 1899 Park Avenue, Raymond, WA, 98577.
They are a Nonprofit Organization and your donations to them are tax deductible.
I am requesting your assistance to help NPC Food Bank in feeding the hungry population and meeting some of their other basic needs. They can do it better with our help. Some of the urgent basic needs in this community include items like bar soap and toilet paper. We often judge individuals who appear unclean and do not smell as pleasant as we would like. Could it be that they do not have access to basic hygiene products or even hot water?
To achieve their goal of feeding the hungry the NPC Food Bank spends any extra money on food and struggles to help meet other basic needs. I am inviting you to help fight hunger and poverty together for a healthier community.
Please join me to make 2018 a wonderful year for North Pacific County Food Bank.
Storage
Receiving
Shopping Area
Organiser
Sandy Prosser
Organiser
Raymond, WA
North Pacific County Food Bank
Registered charity
Donations are typically 100% tax-deductible in the US.
