Food banks offer help to Cordova residents

JOY LANDALUCE

March 20, 2008 at 9:58AM AKST

Two officials with the Food Bank of Alaska based in Anchorage spread the word on their programs with Cordova residents.

Ruth Riley-Elvsaas, program director, and Susanna Morgan, its executive director, spoke on Jan. 31 in the Ilanka Cultural Center boardroom.

In Cordova, food banks have been open for several years at the Native Village of Eyak office and at the Salvation Army at 514 First St. Both serve applicants who meet income guidelines.

Executive Director of the Native Village of Eyak Bruce Cain wanted to inform the community of the food bank and how to use it.

"Services are available to any qualified Cordova community members," Cain said. "Participants need not be Native Village of Eyak tribal members to receive this assistance."

Real fresh milk, fruit, vegetables, canned meats and a large amount of staples, including noodles, rice and dried beans, are available at both locations.

The Salvation Army purchases its food from the food bank in Anchorage. For visitors, there is a form to fill out, and enough food is given for up to two weeks at a time.

Personal care items, including toothpaste and laundry soap, are available. Fresh meat and fish are available at times as well as a large variety of canned foods and dried staples.

Elvsaas told of different possibilities of removing hunger in a rural community.

"Twenty-four percent of rural Alaska is insecure about the food and where it will come from," Elvsaas said.

Morgan said she has felt great satisfaction working with the Food Bank of Alaska.

"I watched a 10-year-old boy eat a strawberry for the first time," Morgan said.

"Too many Alaskans suffer from hunger and nutritionally are in bad shape," she added. "Our goal is to stop hunger. This is an achievable goal."

Many options were discussed on how to distribute the food more discreetly, to help the clients fill out the paperwork and to teach food safety education.

Elvsaas pointed out that in the old days, the first fish would have been brought to grandma.

"The tradition was to share your food with the elders," Elvsaas said.

"Sharing is the main way in a community like this one. There is no shame in it," she added.

"In our tradition the man is suppose to gather and provide," she said. "We need to change these ideas to a simple people-helping-people attitude."

The superintendent of Cordova High School, Jim Nygaard, said that 50 percent of the students involved in Cordova’s hot lunch program are on reduced-price meals.

"I worry about what happens to them in the summer," Nygaard said.

Lennette Ronnegard agreed that a good summer program with crafts, outings and lunch would be a great first step to helping Cordova’s children.

"The community needs to come together and address this issue in a sharing capacity. All agencies could be involved and more informational meetings and brainstorming are needed," Elvsaas said.

Cordova food banks

Two locations help those in need:

• The Native Village of Eyak office at 110 Nicholoff Way, across from the Fisherman’s Memorial in the new harbor in Cordova.

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Telephone: (907) 424-7738.

• The Salvation Army at 514 First St.

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Telephone: (907) 424-3134.

Joy Landaluce can be reached at (907) 424-7181.