The holidays can be tough for those who can't afford costumes, a holiday meal or decorations to brighten their homes. Miracle Food Network, a donations-based nonprofit that recovers and distributes food, is stepping in to relieve some financial stress through community partnerships.
The organization collects items from restaurants, schools and private donors that would otherwise be thrown away. After the food is sorted at its Ferndale location, it is either given away there from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, or delivered to partner organizations for further distribution. Any food that can't be used is repurposed for farm animal feed, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Miracle Food Network’s program space on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Ferndale Wash. Volunteers package food boxes for partner organizations that serve as distribution centers. // Photo by Larson McDonagh
In addition to food, MFN receives holiday decorations from donors. Its Halloween program, which began in 2020, provides costumes, treats and decorations to families in need. On Saturday, Nov. 16, the organization launched its Christmas program.
“We decided this year that Halloween goes over well with the families and the community; not only did we get families out of Bellingham, they came as far as Mount Baker,” said Lorrie Nyenhuis, a full-time volunteer. “So we decided that we have all this Christmas … so why not see what the needs are in the community?”
Nyenhuis said her upbringing as a child of a single mother is what drove her passion for this work.
“We see a lot of the working poor. A lot of people that come through our door have three or four jobs just to pay the rent, and there's not enough for the extra [expenditures], which is just heartbreaking,” Nyenhuis said.
Laura Vogee, managing director of food and holiday programs at the Community Assistance Program in Blaine, Washington, said it's interesting to see the variety of donations and thinks it’s beneficial that programs find creative ways to distribute it.
“It's a great way to get rid of the stuff that's donated to them that they can't give out every week as part of the food distribution,” Vogee said.
Amanda Larson, a resident who picks up food for her neighbors from the Meridian Resource Center at Irene Reither Elementary, said inflation leaves no room for extra expenditures and thinks the MFN holiday programs are a great support.
“I shop at Winco; that’s the cheapest grocery store, and their prices are still going up,” Larson said.
Part-time volunteer Patricia Cornelson said MFN hopes to expand its programs, including using the industrial kitchen in its building. However, financial limitations pose a challenge.
“What's hard about it is we don't own the building, and what we have to do before we can have a large number of people in here is to get a fire suppression system,” Cornelson said. “That's going to cost a lot more money unless we can find a grant or a donor or someone who believes in what we’re doing. That's what's holding us back.”
Nyenhuis said the organization has a lot of community support, but volunteers like her spend a lot of time knocking on doors and spreading the word to compel donors to fund their mission.
Reflecting on what kept her motivated during the recent Halloween event, Nyenhuis said, “When you see little kids come in here to get a costume, it's just it's so amazing to watch them go out the door and see them in the parking lot going, ‘I'm gonna be a princess!’ ‘I'm gonna be a dinosaur!’ It's worth everything.”
Larson McDonagh (they/them) is a City News reporter for The Front this quarter. They are majoring in Environmental Journalism. They are the current President of Western’s Advanced Treble Chorale for which they’ve been involved for the past three years. Outside of school, they enjoy reading good books and cooking delicious meals. You can reach them at larsmcdonagh.thefront@gmail.com.
