DARRINGTON, Wash. — The Darrington Food Bank operates under a drive-thru model where people pull up and volunteers deliver food to their cars.
It works well unless it's too hot, cold, or smoky for volunteers to do it safely. Last week there was no distribution because the cold and snow were too dangerous for workers to endure.
That meant people in the community went hungry.
"We had clients calling us asking if there was any way they could get food because they didn't have any food at home," said volunteer Claire Wilbert.
With no actual building to store things in or work out of, volunteers use shipping containers which exposes them to vandalism.
Someone recently broke into one of the containers to steal food the workers would have happily given them for free.
"I mean, it was pretty heartbreaking for the volunteers," Wilbert said. "It feels personal."
The folks in Darrington would prefer a to employ grocery store model where workers and clients can be indoors and out of the elements.
"I honestly have this vision where we're inside a building and we're all warm," said volunteer Laura Helling. "That would be nice."
Darrington is in line to get a $425,000 federal grant to construct a new building but they have to raise 25% of it themselves -- or $142,000.
That will be tough in a small town where nearly 60% of the students are low-income and the poverty rate is 14%.
"We're pretty vulnerable here," Helling said.
This all comes as the number of people using the food bank has surged to a level not seen since the height of the pandemic.
Nearly 300 people visit the food bank every week. It's the only food bank within 30 miles.
For now, volunteers are left hoping no one gets left out in the cold.
"It's definitely an urgent need," Wilbert said.
Volunteers believe they only have a few months to raise all that money.
If you can help visit the Darrington Food Bank website. Checks can be mailed to Darrington Food Bank P.O. Box 696 Darrington, WA 98241.