The Storehouse, a faith-based foodbank in Covington, has been serving the community since 1999.

This year, the foodbank has seen some changes including a new director who took over at the beginning of 2017 when the former director retired.

Liesl Kershner, Storehouse director, had spent 16 years volunteering with Storehouse. Most recently, she had spent four years on the board of directors before taking over her new position this year.

When the former director retired, Kershner said the board tried to divide jobs between the five board members and the two paid employees of Storehouse but they decided there needed to be someone to oversee the goings on.

The decision to have someone oversee Storehouse is when Kershner took over the reigns as director, she said.

The two other employees are Kathy Simmons, operations manager, and Cassie Rush, office administrator.

Simmons began volunteering with Storehouse in May 1999, roughly four months after it first began helping members of the community.

Then in 2003, Simmons was hired as an employee.

Rush began volunteering with Storehouse through an internship with Real Life Church. She volunteered for a year and a half before being hired. Now Rush is in her fourth year as an employee.

What Does Storehouse Do?

Two days a week, Fridays and Saturdays, Storehouse welcomes community members to come pick up food and other supplies. On average, they said, Storehouse helps roughly 50 to 60 families.

Apart from food items, Rush said Storehouse sometimes has napkins, plates, cups, cleaning supplies, diapers, shampoo, cough medicine and office supplies for families to pick up if they are in need of them.

Rush said most of the families who use its services come from Covington, Maple Valley and Kent.

Families in need of food are welcome to come on a weekly basis, Rush said. That recently changed from the every other week policy Storehouse used to impose.

Volunteers typically pack a standard box of food including canned items and fresh produce.

On Saturdays, volunteers also make some home deliveries to community members that have difficulties getting to its location.

Kershner said they currently deliver to a blind family and a disabled vet among others.

“We do the best we can for the families we serve,” she said.

All of the food Storehouse provides to families is donated through food drives, local businesses including Costco, Covington and Maple Valley Fred Meyer and from US Foods. World Vision, Kershner said, also donates some items to Storehouse.

She added their membership to World Vision is the only thing Storehouse pays for while everything else is strictly donated.

Local community gardens including one at Real Life Church and the Garden of the Good Shepherd at St. John the Baptist in Covington also provide fresh produce to Storehouse.

Storehouse receives more than food and supplies, it also receives financial donations. The largest financial contribution is a yearly $10,000 grant from the city of Covington.

Aside from community members, Storehouse also provides food to nine ministries. Those ministries come by to pick up bulk items that have been donated.

What sets Storehouse apart from other foodbanks in the area, the three said, is the fact that they are faith-based. This allows them to pray with families that use their services and it also allows them to not have to ask as many questions when someone comes to pick up food.

They added Storehouse doesn’t ask any questions regarding finances, they just ask how many people live in the household and they do make sure the families are local.

“People like coming here versus a foodbank,” Kershner said. “They feel more comfortable.”

Storehouse Events

The Storehouse also hosts a number of events, the three said. Including its biggest one of the year, the back to school barbecue.

During this event, they said, a number of local community services provide families with physicals, free haircuts, free teeth cleanings, backpacks with school supplies along with games for children to enjoy.

“It is a fun event to get kids ready for school,” Rush said.

Another event, one that benefits Storehouse in the form of food donations, is the food drive the Covington Post Office runs each May.

Currently, Kershner said the Covington Rotary stores supplies for their Backpack Buddies program.

She added Storehouse is working with Rotary to get more connected with the program. However, it is still not determined how they will get involved with the program.

Simmons added that Storehouse also works with TOP (The Outreach Program) with the Kent School District. She said twice a week students from the program come to Storehouse and help clean and sort items.

Red Canoe Grand Opening

On Thursday, Oct. 5 and Friday, Oct. 6 during Red Canoe’s grand opening event in Covington at 27022 176th Place SE, the bank will donate $10 for every person that visits the branch.

“(There are) no account requirements and no gimmicks,” Amy Davis, chief marketing officer with Red Canoe said in an email. “It’s a straight donation by us just to illustrate that we’re community-based and care about the people of Covington.”

Kershner said Red Canoe will donate up to $7,500 to Storehouse. She said the goal is to set aside the funds to put them toward a new cooler, which she said could cost up to $20,000.

“We are thankful for Red Canoe, for getting our name out there,” Kershner said.

Ways To Help Storehouse

All three stressed that volunteers are needed especially on Saturdays. Currently Storehouse has about 40 to 50 volunteers including two Spanish speaking volunteers who help bridge the communication barrier between some families who come to Storehouse.

Rush said people are also able to donate online through their website or via PayPal. She added that people with Fred Meyer rewards card can also select them as a charity to receive donations.

They said with the holidays quickly approaching, Storehouse is open to donations of turkeys, hams and any other holiday food items they can share with the families they serve.

Hours and Location

Storehouse is located in the building behind Real Life Church at 26201 180th Ave. SE in Covington.

On Fridays, community members are welcome to stop by from 9 to 10 a.m. or from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. on Saturdays.

They do ask families not bring children under the age of 12 years old. However, some families with younger children, do come and help work in the community garden.

For more information visit their website at www.covingtonstorehouse.org or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CovingtonStorehouse.