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Sisters, Oregon
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The contents of the on-line edition of The Nugget represent a selection among the stories that appear in the weekly print edition.

Food Bank serves record numbers
By Jim Cornelius

More people than ever before have requested food from the Kiwanis Food Bank in Sisters.

According to Food Bank director Glenn Keeran, a record 60 families used the food service in October; 52 placed food requests in September.

Those numbers reflect a trend.

"We're up, I'd say, 40 percent over the past three years," Keeran said.

Keeran believes a slow economy has had some impact. He believes many people come to Central Oregon and find it more difficult than they expected to get steady work. Housing costs may also be a factor.

"We had an awful lot of campers this summer in Sisters who were camping because they couldn't afford housing," Keeran said.

However, Keeran noted, it is difficult to find out much about the Food Bank clientele because state regulations are increasingly restrictive about what are considered invasions of client's privacy.

"If they qualify wage-wise, we don't ask them any questions," Keeran said.

The increased numbers of Food Bank users tap the organization's ability to provide.

"We're running low," Keeran said. "Our needs are mostly non-perishable stuff and cash donations.'

Cash is used to purchase specific perishable items such as hamburger.

"We probably buy over 100 pounds a month (of hamburger)," Keeran said.

The Sisters Food Bank is backed by the Oregon Food Bank and the Central Oregon Community Agency Action Network (COCAAN). However, that support is far from being enough.

Support from the state food bank and COCAAN "would not keep us going," Keeran said.

Generous donations from individuals and organizations continue to be the life blood of the local charity.

That support has been unstinting, according to Keeran.

"This is a wonderful community," he said.

The Kiwanis Food Bank is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information call 549-8059.

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