KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA | Local food bank is almost empty and running out of time

Local food bank is almost empty and running out of time

YAKIMA, Wash.- The Southeast Community Food Bank is almost empty. They help feed about 300 families every week but lately that number is going up. To help out, WSU students are collecting food and raising money at the Walmart in West Valley. Food bank employees say this will bring in some relief. 

"Our walls are bare we always have a need for food we had 392 families here Friday and we gave out an average of 30 pounds to people that come in," said Earl Hall, the treasurer for the food bank.

With very little left, the food bank still had to feed another 400 families, which is why WSU students from the Yakima Valley are camped out at Walmart. They were carrying signs and asking for donations...and for some of these students, help from food banks got their families through tough times.

"It was hard when they, you see other families getting tons of food and you're just getting helping hand from other places, you know, your family can't afford a big huge turkey," said Esther Mancilla, who helped coordinate the collection.

Last year they filled more than 20 cardboard boxes with clothes and food, this year they plan to fill 60 of these bins. While they've got a long way to go, these students want others to get the same kind of help they did.

"I can't imagine not getting the help, not getting the presents, the food from them," said Mancilla.

These students will continue collecting food and money for the next 24 hours. As for the food bank?

"This is sort of a miracle operating a food bank week after week after week," said Hall.

The food bank's treasurer says he's hoping that miracle will continue helping feed hundreds of hungry families.