Washington state Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Kevin Quigley congratulates employees from Eastern State Hospital, Lakeland Village and Consolidated Support Services (CSS) for raising 9,240 pounds of food for the Medical Lake food bank.
Medical Lake food bank volunteers put away the 9,240 pounds of food that was donated by Eastern State Hospital, Lakeland Village and CS.
The employees of Eastern State Hospital, Lakeland Village and Consolidated Support Services (CSS) came together to raise 9,240 pounds of food for the Medical Lake food bank.
The food drive was a part of the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services' (DSHS) "Everyone Eats" food campaign. The campaign focused on donating food to help feed the hungry.
According to Joey Frost, Eastern State Hospital organizational development/management analyst, the idea for a food drive came from DSHS Secretary Kevin Quigley.
"We all came together and one of the employees said she had an old truck we could use," Frost said. "The goal was to fill the back of the truck with food. We thought 'maybe we could fill one truck load.' We had enough food to fill three truck loads."
Frost said the food drive also marked the first time all three organizations worked together for a charitable cause. To honor their employees, supervisors held a carnival, Oct. 8, which was the same day that Quigley visited DSHS facilities throughout Spokane County.
Quigley thanked Eastern State, Lakeland and CSS employees for their contribution.
"When I see this much food, I see what it means to people," Quigley said. "A lot of people are going to benefit from this."
Lakeland Village Superintendent Tony DiBartolo was also impressed with the generosity of DSHS workers. He said Lakeland employees had a competition between the different cottages to see who could raise the most food.
"Everybody did a fantastic job," DiBartolo said. "If we get the opportunity to do it again, I'm all in."
Peg James, director of Medical Lake food bank, thanked the three organizations for donating so much food.
"This is unbelievable, I have never ever seen anything like this," James said.
The food drive is only the beginning of DSHS fundraising season, which runs until Dec. 14. In 2013, employees donated more than $520,000 to more than 500 charitable organizations.
"We'll see what kind of charities the staff wants to focus on," Frost said. "I am amazed by the generosity of the employees."
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
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