The Sky Valley Food Bank is yet another example of a supportive community coming around the hungry and ensuring food is available several times a week. Open 3 mornings a week, they serve around 1,100 households per month, as well as 20 home deliveries every 2 weeks. According to their website, "There are approximately 70 volunteers who donate their time working at the food bank and picking up food seven days a week. Volunteers are the "Heart" of our program!" Neil Watkins, Executive Director of SVFB, explained that his volunteers take great pride in their job and have served consistently for several years (totally 16,241 hours of services last year). Neil encourages and appreciates his volunteers through monthly barbecues and by keeping them well informed on what is happening around the food bank.
Neil uses his connections with the community well and receives donations from churches, clubs, schools and businesses. The Food Bank is so well loved by their city that they pay only $1 a year to rent their building. Several grants have allowed the Food Bank to start a program providing school supplies to children in August. This upcoming Fall will mark the seconds year they will be able to offer kids a backpack filled with supplies needed for school.
Tucked next to the Food Bank is a successful and completely volunteer run garden. This beautiful gardens produces 1,100 pounds of food each summer that goes directly to the clients. The gardens also has small plots of land that can be rented by community members, bringing a small amount of revenue back to the Food Bank.
The Sky Valley Food Bank is a life giving organization that is constantly looking ahead to better serve the needy in their community.
*A Special Thanks to Neil Watkins for his time and information.
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