STANWOOD, Wash. — The Stanwood Camano Food Bank feeds 450 families each month. The director is used to getting small donations. The biggest was $5,000 until Friday, when the Stillaguamish tribe gave Rick Bentley a check for $100,000.
Bentley said, "I absolutely was totally speechless at that time, I didn't know how to respond or react."
The tribe of 280 members gave the same amount to the Arlington Food Bank and to Northwest Harvest.
Farrah Lynn will benefit as a food bank client. She said, "It brings tears to my eyes."
The Stilliguamish feel they've been blessed with good business at their Angel of the Winds Casino, a fuel stop, and smokeshop. They remember how food banks helped members in the past. The tribal vice chair, Eric White said, "You know there was a time when we didn't have those businesses and they helped us out a lot, so now it's our turn to give back and we enjoy doing that."
Bentley said the timing couldn't be better. The donation comes when federal food stamp benefits have been cut by an average of $34 per person per month, and people are leaning more on food banks. Even with the generous food donations that the Stanwood Food Bank receives every month, Bentley still has to spend about $6,000 or $7,000 to buy groceries to make sure the shelves are stocked.
The donation from the tribe will cover those food purchases for more than a year.
Bentley said at least temporarily, it will relieve his worries about whether he'll have enough food to feed the hungry in his community.
Food bank hits jackpot - $100,000 donation
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