The Bridge food program feeds more families during the holidays

The Bridge Community Hope Center’s food program is serving the most people since the program started in early spring.

The food distribution was the brainchild of Community Assistance Program volunteer Laura Vogee, who suggested Lee Connors, center director, and Rosemary Connors, executive assistant to director, use their nonprofit to start a program to feed local families. Two weeks later Covid-19 created school and business shutdowns across Whatcom County.

“It grew from five families to 30 families in a month,” Rosemary said. “It just kept going and going. At the height, we had 260 people that we were giving food out to every week and then it died down in the summer and now it’s increasing again. We got more people signing up per week.”

But now, with the four-week statewide restrictions that went into effect mid-November, Rosemary said the Bridge is serving more than 300 people, or about 67 families. She said they’re now seeing a minimum of three to five new families each week.

Rosemary said she feared that when businesses first closed in March, the Bridge would lose donations like bread and pizza from stores. Instead, she said she saw the opposite.

“It blows my mind how much has been coming in,” she said. “And it’s not stopping, it’s increasing in a time when some businesses are having to close down.”

The nonprofit, located at 4815 Alderson Road, relies solely on donated food. Potatoes, onions, bread, peanut butter, beans, oats, rice, cheese, milk and other food are stored on shelves and in freezers in the backroom. Fresh produce like leafy greens and apples are displayed under a tent during the weekly food distribution on Fridays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“When Covid first hit, people were really afraid. They were stunned, they were shocked,” Rosemary said. “Men were coming to the Bridge with tears in their eyes saying, ‘this is so hard, this is so hard.’ And now it’s amazing, people come every week and they know they can get good, healthy wholesome food.”

A core team of about six adults and six to eight youth volunteers help throughout the day on Friday with the Bridge’s food distribution. Every box is labeled and sorted by family size, which ranges from individuals to families of 10. When patrons arrive, they select their produce from a tent in front of the community center while volunteers bring that person’s box of food from the backroom. Those unable to pick up their food may opt for food delivery.

Bridge volunteers social distance and wear masks and gloves to comply with Covid-19 guidelines, Rosemary said.

The food program is in partnership with The Food Connection and Miracle Food Network, which picks up excess food from businesses like Edaleen Dairy and Avenue Bread and delivers it to the Bridge. 

“It’s a smaller version of a food bank,” Rosemary said. “It’s overflow food from delis, stores and restaurants where they’re trying to clear it out for the day.”

Blaine resident Lorelei Bowers began volunteering with the Bridge shortly after the shutdowns in March. After starting the Facebook group BBSP Covid-19 Community Helpers to help community members meet basic needs like running errands, Bowers saw a large demand for food and childcare. Bowers said she saw a gap as organizations were shutting down while people were increasingly in need. The Bridge, however, was ready to fill that gap, she said.

“The cool thing is the Bridge was established before the pandemic so the foundation was set for everything to start rolling so neatly to meet the needs of the community,” Bowers said. “If they hadn’t invested the time before and had that vision, it wouldn’t have been met so quickly.”

Bridge director Lee Connors said more people joined the Bridge’s food program as they saw its impact on the community.

“They took action really fast, in response to the needs of the community. A really cool thing is how grassroots it is,” Bowers said. “It’s neighbors helping neighbors, community members helping community members.”

Those who would like to receive food can register at thebridgehope.com/food-distribution or by calling 360/366-8763.