For more than 30 years, area churches have come together annually to support food banks with the WAVE (What a Valuable Experience) Food Drive. This year's benefit for the Port Townsend, Tri-Area, Quilcene and Brinnon food banks is set for Saturday, Oct. 22.

Brinnon sits in the middle of what the USDA considers a “food desert,” a place where affordable, nutritious food is hard to obtain. Fortunately, the Brinnon Food Bank is there, serving more than 90 families weekly.

In Quilcene, “We average 100 people walking through our doors every week,” said manager Leslie Tippins, adding that users love that they can get in, get the food they need and get out in 15 minutes.

At the Port Townsend Food Bank, manager Shirley Moss reports approximately 250 families are served every Wednesday, and on Senior Saturday, about 100 seniors. One user described the PT food bank as a “lifeline,” saying that “without the food bank, myself and many others would struggle much more to feed our families.”

The WAVE Food Drive continues to gather financial and nonperishable food donations to assist county food banks in being that “lifeline.”

In 2015, WAVE raised $15,297 in financial donations (up by $546 from 2014) and 3,170 pounds of nonperishable food (up by 1,775 pounds from 2014).

On Saturday, Oct. 22, the community is invited to donate to the 31st annual drive all day at the Port Townsend and Port Hadlock QFCs, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations in Port Townsend: Church of Christ, 230 A St.; First Baptist Church of Port Townsend, 1202 Lawrence St.; First Presbyterian Church of Port Townsend, 1111 Franklin St.; Grace Lutheran Church, 1120 Walker St.; Port Townsend Friends (Quakers) Meetinghouse, 1841 Sheridan St.; Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2333 San Juan Ave.; San Juan Baptist Church, 1704 Discovery Road; St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 1335 Blaine St.; and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1020 Jefferson St.

Throughout the month of October, these congregations, along with Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity United Methodist Church, are also gathering food and financial donations, which are to be delivered Oct. 31.

Financial donations are an excellent way to give, according to WAVE organizers, as they are easily distributed among the food banks, allowing the banks to purchase food at 4 cents a pound from Food Lifeline.

Checks can be made payable to Jefferson County Food Bank. Nonperishable foods are still a welcome donation, providing varieties of food not available through Food Lifeline, such as canned meats like chicken or tuna fish.

All donations are split equally between the area’s food banks in order to meet the increasing needs of families and seniors.

East Jefferson County food banks are located in Port Townsend at 1919 Blaine St.; in the Tri-Area at 10 W. Valley Road; in Quilcene at 294952 U.S. Highway 101; and in Brinnon at 151 Corey Lane.

Home-canned foods cannot be accepted. Canned foods that are past their expiration dates by less than three years can still be donated. While opened foods cannot be accepted, shampoos, hand lotions, dish soaps and pet foods that have been opened are welcome.

Financial donations can also be mailed to Port Townsend Food Bank at P.O. Box 1975, Port Townsend, WA 98368 and are distributed to food bank locations. For more information, visit

wavefooddrive.wordpress.com or

jeffersoncountyfoodbanks.org/index.html.