By Molly Hughes

Here’s a little story about a great partnership in our little community.

Almost 13 years ago, a small group of people decided to put together a food bank that would serve Central Whidbey Island.

They didn’t know how big the need would be, and they didn’t know if the community would support them. They didn’t have any money, and they didn’t have a location to start a food bank.

They bought a few bags of groceries with their own money and put a tiny ad in the paper.

Greenbank Farm let them use, literally, a closet to store their food and get started.

It was too small, but it was free.

That was the beginning of Gifts from the Heart food bank.

Fast forward a few years, and we were giving out bags of food from a folding table set up behind the fire trucks in the fire station.

When the citizens of our community passed a levy to build a new fire station, we were able to work out a deal with then-Fire Chief Joe Biller and the fire commissioners to rent the old building for the food bank.

Over seven years ago, a small group of people decided to start a Boys & Girls Club that would serve the Coupeville School District.

They didn’t know how big the need would be, and they didn’t know if the community would support them.

They didn’t have any money, and they didn’t have a location to start a club. They asked the food bank if they could share the old fire station.

The space was too small, the parking wasn’t great, there was no room for the kids to play outside, but it was a place to get started.

All of us at the food bank remembered when we were in that exact same position and the Greenbank Farm and Fire District came to our aid to help us get started.

So we said, “YES!” to the Boys & Girls Club, and a wonderful partnership was born.

Fortunately for both of us, when the Catholic church bought the property, they agreed to continue to rent to both groups while we looked for a new home.

Both organizations have pushed the capacity of the shared building to the max.

The food bank is serving more clients and needs room for workspace, more food storage and more refrigeration.

The Boys & Girls Club needs room for equipment, space for the staff and volunteers, and, most of all, room for the boys and girls who want to use the Club and their many wonderful programs.

When a community member generously donated a piece of land to build a new Boys & Girls Club, the club, in turn, generously invited the food bank to move with them.

Both organizations serve a need in this community. And now both organizations need your help to build a building that we can call home for years to come.

Any money donated to the Boys & Girls Club capital campaign will also benefit Gifts from the Heart food bank.

I respectfully ask that you consider donating to this important building fund so that we, in turn, can continue to serve our community.

Molly Hughes is president of Gifts from the Heart, which shares space at the current Coupeville Boys and Girls Club. The club is currently running a capital campaign to raise money for a new building. For more information about the campaign and club, go to www.coupevilleboysandgirlsclub.org