The National Guard will be in Ballard for at least another month, helping out at the food bank and with St. Luke’s Edible Hope Kitchen.
Six members of the Guard arrived in Ballard at the beginning of April, and have been filling in the volunteer gap at Ballard Food Bank, as many of the regular food bank volunteers are in the “at risk” category and unable to offer support.
Washington National Guard spokesperson Karina Shagren tells My Ballard that the Guard has also been assigned to help at St. Luke’s Edible Hope Kitchen— Guard members have been out helping provide meals and water for the unsheltered near Ballard Commons Park.
Colleen Martinson from the Ballard Food Bank said it’s been great to have the extra pairs of hands at the food bank; the Guard members have been helping in the new drive-thru food bank, unloading trucks, and packing up and delivering food.
The National Guard is helping with food efforts statewide to ease the effects of COVID-19 on food banks around Washington. Shagren says the Guard will be in Ballard until the end of May.
Photo: Ballard Food Bank on Facebook