Skip Cadorette

This year has been bad: immense wildfires, swarms of locusts, multiple earthquakes, and the Disney Channel’s charging $30 to see "Mulan!"

Oh, and of course well more than 200,000 COVID-19 deaths and 36 million folks out of work. 

As a pastor of a mostly retired, financially stable congregation I am often asked, “What can we do to love our neighbor, like Jesus asks us to?” 

Those who ask want a concrete option that will make a real difference in a neighbor’s life. 

I have an answer. But first, let’s unveil the full nature of our current dilemma. 

The CARES and HEROES Acts and all their benefits came to an end Sept. 30. Among other benefits, the financial assistance included: increased unemployment, maximized SNAP benefits, and stimulus payments. 

All those have come to a full and complete stop. That’s a problem for every household dealing with COVID-related job losses. Paying the bills, keeping the heat on, and putting food on the table suddenly became more difficult as of Sept. 30.
An extension of those benefits has passed the House. To their credit, the Senate voted to proceed on the legislation, but, as of this writing, our Congress and Administration appear to have concluded that other things are more important.  

The concern is: All that useful assistance is gone. And it may not be back for some time. 

And our 2020 circumstances have not improved. Which brings me back to that important question: “What ‘real life,’ concrete thing can we do to love our neighbor,” especially in these COVID days?  

Answer: You go to your cupboard or get out your checkbook and give to Jefferson County food banks. 

October is WAVE Food Drive Month and Saturday, Oct. 24 is WAVE Food Drive Day. 

Initiated by local churches 35 years ago, this grassroots, neighbor-loving effort helps our county food banks do what they do best: Provide food to folks in need, equitably, recognizing the dignity of everyone.  

The WAVE has two parts.

First, Saturday, Oct. 24 is WAVE Food Drive Day! On that day donations can be made all day at QFC stores in Port Townsend and Port Hadlock, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at locations listed at wavefooddrive.wordpress.com. 

Second, throughout the month of October participating churches gather non-perishable food and financial donations for the WAVE. 

Financial gifts can also be mailed to Jefferson County Food Bank Association, PO Box 124, Port Hadlock, WA 98339; with checks payable to Jefferson County Food Bank Association and noted for WAVE. Or, you can give online at jeffersoncountyfoodbanks.org. 

And, by the way, WAVE stands for “What A Valuable Experience” meaning the experience of giving to assist a neighbor in need — which is a “real life,” concrete thing you can do to “Love your neighbor.” 

(Skip Cadorette is pastor of First Baptist Church, a native of Port Townsend. He loves Jesus, his wife, this community, and the beach in that order.)