Editor, the VOICE and An Open Letter to greater Maple Valley and Covington:
What a wonderfully generous community! Maple Valley Food Bank and Emergency Services extends sincere thanks to the local businesses, groups, schools, churches and individuals who helped local families in need by giving to this year’s Holiday Food and Children’s Christmas Gift Programs. Year-end donations received will also help sustain our regular services into 2017. On behalf of thousands of grateful recipients, THANK YOU!
In November and December, 150,000 pounds of food was distributed, including extra food for 569 Thanksgiving and 501 Christmas, family dinners. Donations also stocked a festive gift center with over 4500 new gifts for registered parents to choose for their children under 16. Toys, clothing, stocking stuffers, and gift cards for teens, went out to 939 of our youngest neighbors.
Our thanks to Covington and Maple Valley/Black Diamond Chambers of Commerce and these local Businesses for supporting our Holiday Giving campaign by selling Turkey Bucks, displaying our Gift Tags, collecting food, gifts, or funds: Bank of America – Wilderness Village & Covington Esplanade; BECU – MV Town Square; CAF Environmental Solutions; City of Maple Valley; City Perk Coffee; Copy It. Mail It.; Costco; Covington Place Senior Apartments; CrossFit Basic – Black Diamond; CrossFit Devotion-Covington; Maple Valley Fire & Life Safety; Fountain Court; Get Hot Yoga; Greater MV Community Center; Grocery Outlet-MV; Imbibe Bottle House & Taproom; Java! Java! Coffee; Johnson’s Home & Garden; Junior Junction Day School; Key Bank – Four Corners & Lake Wilderness; Key Mechanical; KinderCare – Covington & MV; Covington & MV Libraries; La Petite Academy; Lowes; Maple Valley Bar & Grill; Maple Valley Fitness; Wade Marler, DDS; Covington MultiCare; Northwest Family Dental Care; Outpatient Physical Therapy-MV & Cov; Pacific Dental Services-MV; Partain Chiropractic; Party, Etc.; Stockton’s Restaurant; Thrive Community Fitness; UPS Stores- Cov & MV, Village Coffee; Washington Workwear; Wee Sprouts Preschool; Wilderness Animal Hospital; Wilderness Village Apartments; Windermere Real Estate.
Schools in both the Tahoma and Kent Districts sponsored amazing gift and food drives to benefit our agency. Our thanks to the staff, families and students for your outpouring of support.
Our gratitude to all those involved with the following special fundraising events or donation drives: Jerry Woods Holiday Engine Team; Lake Wilderness Country Club Lights; Kent Fire Department Local 1747 Toys for Joy; Black Hat Society/Knudsen Family Halloween drive; MV Fred Meyer; MOD Pizza; New Community Church McDonalds Takeover and Living Nativity drive; QFC; Dawn Rushton RE/Max & sponsors Santa photos; and Safeway.
We are grateful for the faithful support of many local Churches, including: Cornerstone United Methodist; Generational Hope Christian Center; MV Presbyterian; New Community Church; New Life Church; Peace Lutheran; Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran; St. Barbara Church; St. George Episcopal; St. John the Baptist; Taylor Creek Church.
Thanks to these Community Organizations for their support this season: Boeing Bluebills; Elk Run Community; Friends of Covington Library; Covington Kiwanis; MV Library Guild; Mattson Middle School; MV Rotary; RSVP Knit-It-Alls; Covington/MV SeaHawkers, Tahoma High School, Tahoma Jr., Water Gardens Community; dozens of other business/club donors, and countless individual ones!
Over 3200 hours of volunteer time were recorded for the months of November and December alone! Hard working volunteers came together to collect, sort, haul, organize, clean, set up, decorate, and distribute goods with a spirit of joy and goodwill.
Finally, we extend our thanks to the VOICE of the Valley for publishing our programming, needs, and donor recognition now and throughout the year. Due to the incredible response to our needs during the holiday season, we cannot include a complete list of donor names. Please know that your generous offerings are greatly appreciated. We continue to be encouraged and inspired by your demonstrations of compassion, and commitment to our community.
Gratefully,
Lila Merz, Executive Director
Maple Valley Food Bank and Emergency Services
