"We wanted a housewarming to celebrate a new remodeling to our home [that fixed] some water issues on our property," Michele Weingeist said. "We have more than enough furnishings and decorative items for our home, or even house and indoor plants."
Knowing that most people feel obligated to bring a gift for a housewarming, the Weingeist family asked their friends and neighbors to bring a check or some non-perishable food items for the community food bank, the Northwest Community Services (NWCS) Food Bank that serves Rainier Valley and South Seattle.
Michele and husband Aaron and daughter Zoe Weingeist knew there were people in the community who would get much more out of a week's worth of groceries than their family would from a bottle of wine or other typical housewarming gifts.
"Our neighborhood has a large number of immigrants and older, retired people-the people who really get hit hard during tough financial times," said the Weingeists. "So, our little party allowed us to celebrate a water-tight home, while visiting with friends and also the chance to do something good for our neighborhood community."
Neighbor, Deborah Sturm, attended the housewarming. "It is a good idea to think about giving food during the spring and summer and not just during the holiday seasons," she said.
"It's always nice to have an opportunity to connect with my neighbors," said Alyx Fier, "especially when it's a chance to help our larger community at the same time.
"It was just so thoughtful of Aaron and Michele to think of others in need," he added, "while they were celebrating their own good fortune. Having neighbors like that are part of what gives this community its special feeling."
The Weingeists raised nearly $1,000 along with collecting nearly six boxes of food and two boxes of baby and children's items.
The NWCS Board of Directors and agency Director Rhonda James were very grateful for the efforts of the Weingeist family, friends and neighbors on behalf of the community food bank. The NWCS Food Bank is comprised mainly of volunteers, including the board members, with only a few part-time staff positions that also require them to volunteer hours above and beyond their job description.
"A lot of our clients rely on our food weekly because they are not working, or are working but rent in the Seattle area is so incredibly high," James said. "At present, we serve about 2,500 families a month, and that figure increases on a weekly basis."
However, the food and monetary donations are often not enough, and James stressed the importance of receiving material and monetary donations from South End residents to provide enough for the adults and children depending on the NWCS Food Bank. James also noted there is a need for more local grocery stores to donate food or money to the food bank.
The cold storage at the NWCS Food Bank holds approximately 15,000 pounds of food, and the freezer holds approximately 20,000 pounds.
Once in awhile they are full but it is a constant struggle to provide enough food for an ever-growing population of people in need due to the downward spiral of the economy. Many times there is not enough from private donations, Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline to feed the large clientele that depends on the NWCS Food Bank.
"We need regular donations made directly to the NWCS Food Bank from the community we serve in order to have enough donations to ensure that we can serve anyone that comes to us for help," James said. "We also need regular local community volunteers for distributing the food to clients and to volunteer for a position on the board of directors."
"The house warming was more like a community event," said another neighbor, Anthony Maschmedt. "It just pulled us all together in a very unique way."
He said his wife Abbey and their children Isabel and William are new to the neighborhood and felt the Weingeist's party was a great idea.
Perhaps other people will follow the Weingeist family's example by having an open house, neighborhood party, barbecue or some other event to raise donations for the NWCS Food Bank.
"We most likely will do the same whenever we get around to an eventual house-warming party ourselves," Maschmedt said. "It was also a fun event!"
The Northwest Community Services Food Bank, 4205 Rainier Ave. S., may be reached at 723-4105 or nwcommunityservices@q.com. Call for food distribution and donation times as well as to inquire about volunteering. NWCS Food Bank volunteers can coordinate with neighborhood residents to pick up donations of food, clothing and baby supplies.
For information about Northwest Harvest, call 800-722-6924, and for information about Food Lifeline dial 545 -6600.
Sherry Cochran may be reached via editor@sdistrictjournal.com.
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