The Good Cheer Food Bank is funded almost entirely by your donations. Furniture, clothing, personal items and other goods brought to Good Cheer’s distribution center are cleaned and shipped out for sale at the Langley and Clinton thrift stores.

There is also a boutique clothing store called The Rack that is located in Clinton. The revenue derived from the stores helps pay for the food bank’s operation.

This is where it all starts as Good Cheer turns old furniture, clothes, appliances and knick-knacks into food for hungry families and individuals on South Whidbey. The items in high demand are house wares, linens, tools, books, men’s clothing, children’s clothing, antiques, jewelry, small appliances, and furniture. When considering donating items to Good Cheer, please ask yourself; “Is this something that I would buy. Are my donations clean, complete, usable and salable?”

To find out more about where to bring your donations and a list of items that we cannot accept click here.

If an item is donated and it is soiled; the expense of cleaning is just too much for Good Cheer. Some volunteers, in the past, actually would take the soiled clothing home and clean them. Obviously, that was not the answer.

The items are then sorted, placed into labeled boxes and put into storage.  The volunteers  then pull the boxes and  the items are priced and placed in plastic containers. The truck drivers then deliver the merchandise to the two thrift stores and the Rack where it is merchandised and ready for sale.

If you find that the merchandise isn’t the right fit or just isn’t working remember that Good Cheer has a 3 day return policy. You can return the merchandise and receive a store credit.

Each sales ticket is marked with a date and after a period of time the item will repriced. There are a number of sales that take place and we will try to keep you informed on this blog. Remember, the Bag Sale, it happens on the first Tuesday of every month. You should note that some sales may exclude new merchandise. Be sure to check with the salesperson if you have any questions. They will be happy to help you out.

Just last year, phase two of our capital campaign provided for the renovation of our main thrift store in Langley. The renovation added an additional 1,140 square feet of retail space and will help to produce additional revenues for the thrift store. The renovation will positively impact the community by providing a greater amount of affordable clothes and household goods, and by increasing profits to support the Good Cheer Food Bank.

This year marks the 50^th year of Good Cheer’s presence on South Whidbey and we need to be mindful of how far we have come and what support we are now capable of offering our community. We have built a very strong foundation for the food bank and it will serve this community very well.

Just click on the photo above and you can see the changes that have taken place at the Langley Thrift Store.

To support your local food bank click here.

Good Cheer!

Bayview Farm and Garden

Springtime is here though the weather might be telling us otherwise. This is just a reminder to think of Good Cheer when you’re doing your spring cleaning. We know that it is often easier to simply put items in the trash than to bag them to take to the nearest thrift store, or to wait for a truck to come and pick up donated furniture.

We’re getting a little sparse at  the Bayview donation station and that can be a concern. Thankfully, with the spring cleaning season arriving and a little help from our friends everything  should come together.

SW Commons Coffeehouse Bookstore

Spring Cleaning Tips:

Think of spring cleaning as an assignment and not a chore and this will mentally help you to overcome the “inertia” of cleaning. Set aside an area in your home or garage where you can sort out items for donation. Some items may need to be washed so keep that in mind and items that are in bad condition will go the dump. You might want to get some boxes and label them “Good Cheer”, “Needs Washing” and “Trash.”

When cleaning out your closets you can start with the top shelf and organize that area first. While organizing, ask yourself twice if you really need it or if you’re really going to use it again. Hoarding is a sure way to use up precious closet space and keep the area cluttered and untidy.

Garages can be more of a weekend project!

You can prepare in advance by buying several plastic containers of differing sizes.

Go through your garage and throw away any junk that is lying around, anything that would not be suitable for Good Cheer.

Adopt a rule that if it hasn’t been used for 12 months, it’s probably not needed (except for very expensive equipment or if you have been too ill or work-swamped to get to a hobby).

Go through all of your stuff and organize it into piles, for example, a pile of tools, Christmas ornaments, collectibles, etc. Be methodical, as the more things that you can place together in related groups, the easier it will be to see what you want to keep, what you have in duplicate and what you no longer want or need.

Store the piles in separate containers. For each pile you have, store those items into their own plastic container unless they are for the charity, recycling or throw-out piles.

Items Needed at Our Thrift Stores is a post that we did last year, it may give you some ideas:)

Your Good Cheer Food Bank and Thrift Stores were presented with the Excellence in Community Resource Development award and $5,000 to continue expanding its mission, and to increase and better its capabilities to serve the hungry people in the Island County community.

The award recognizes strategies that raise awareness of hunger and develop resources from the community to fight it, such as effective fundraising, volunteer development, in-kind contributions, hunger education materials, and outreach activities.

The award presented by Food Lifeline is one of four 2011 Agency Excellence Awards. There are 300 agency members in Western Washington so being selected for this award is very special.

The grant application was started by our own board member, Robin Hertlein.  Robin had already written two other grant applications when she sent Kathy McLaughlin the following message.

“Here’s the volunteer one.   I’m running out of steam, so the last few answers are pretty short.   Feel free to add things that could help the case.”

Kathy added to what Robin had written and submitted and the rest is history. This story is all about our volunteers and the spirit of giving that is so prevalent in this organization and community.

Volunteers are the backbone of Good Cheer. They increased the num­ber of hours of donated services, and in point of fact, nearly rivaled the amount of volunteer hours donated at a regional food bank distributor.

Here is a brief look back at 2010.

The Award for excellence is just a reminder, to those connected to Good Cheer, that it is working and we are creating a hunger-free community!

Good Cheer!

The Good Cheer Food Bank is unique, it is supported to a large degree through our community thrift stores in Langley and Clinton.

Thrifting and thrifter are terms that are being used to describe those who shop (sometimes exclusively) at thrift or second-hand stores, flea markets, garage sales and charity shops.

You may ask though, why bother thrifting?

Thrift stores are easy on your wallet and actually help lessen the strain on the environment.

There is a lot of truth in the notion that one person’s junk might be another’s treasure. In these frugal times, thrifting makes economic and environmental sense. Purchasing reusable items at a thrift store prolongs a products life and keeps it out our landfills.

Organic is more than buying from our local farmers……………

Organic can be buying local and creating an environment within the community that sustains its charities and non-profits. Local business and community support has helped Good Cheer and the HELP Network on South Whidbey Island to a degree that is unimaginable.

Thrifting is fun!

It is a time when you can use your sharp eye and uncany knack of finding that one-of-a-kind bargain. That great pair of blue jeans or maybe the sunglass frame that you bought for a dollar and you find out, on the internet, that it orginally sold for $100!

It appears as though modern-day thrifting has come of age, thrifting, like the do-it-yourself mentality, is definitely the new chic.

In many cases the goods are in better condition than you might think. I’ve found once-worn sweaters and seen designer bags in our thrift stores. You’ll find things there that you can’t find anywhere else. Great finds are just sitting out there waiting for you, come on in and take a look around.

Have you ever been down to Double Bluff Beach?

Maybe this wet suit from the Langley Thrift Store might make it a more unique experience.

Supporting our thrift stores can be fun and it is a part of a program that is creating a hunger free community.

Good Cheer and Happy New Year!

Have you been carded at Good Cheer’s Thrift Stores yet? If not, you’re missing the chance to win a monthly drawing for a $50 shopping certificate at any Good Cheer store.

The card in question is Good Cheer Thrift Store’s Frequent Buyer Card introduced this summer. We’ve had great response to the card and have had to keep up with the demand for it. It takes just 12 purchases to enter the drawing. At least one punch must be from each of Good Cheer’s Thrift Stores in Langley and Clinton, and the Clothing  Rack in Clinton. The cards are available at the counter in each store. I guess you could say that we’re encouraging you to explore all of our stores.

Here is another story that talks about doubles. A nickel here and there really adds up. In fact, Payless Foods in Freeland donates a nickel to Good Cheer Food Bank every time a customer has their groceries bagged in a re-usable grocery tote; nickels which have totaled more than $7,040 in donations over the past seven months. Now there is the potential for customers to choose to double the donations.

“With our new registers, we are now able to offer customers the choice of donating the nickel that they receive per bag to the Food Bank in addition to the nickel that Payless Foods donates to Good Cheer,” said Payless Foods Manager Tom Brown. “The donation is now printed right on the receipt.” He estimates that about 30 percent of Payless Foods customers are using the store’s blue tote bags (made of recycled materials), or bringing other types of re-usable bags to use. “When we first began the program I would order about ten thousand totes at a time. People have really responded to the idea of saving resources,” Brown said. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone.” We are grateful to be the recipient of this commendable program by a longtime supporter of the Food Bank.. You should know that if clients to the food bank bring in reusable grocery bags they receive extra food
points.

Our oceans are being threatened by “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” This is a phenomenon that has many scientists concerned. The debris field of this massive vortex of floating plastic trash is said to be twice the size of Texas.

We all know the importance of being good stewards of our Planet. Small actions can create a domino effect; it can inspire others to take action. Our beaches and oceans are littered with items made of plastic; so buy reusable shopping bags and water bottles.

Whidbey Island residents seem to be ahead of the times.

Good Cheer!

The Good Cheer Rack is having a grand re-opening this weekend starting on September 4th.  A grand celebration; with barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers!

We wanted to have a larger site to display our goods and it was a necessity to have a  “REAL” dressing room. Yes, it has a door:)

We’ve been moving into the world of social networking over the past year. The Good Cheer Blog and Good Cheer Garden Blog have been well received and is a great way to keep you informed of the happenings at the food bank.

We now have a Facebook site for the Rack in Clinton. This gives us the ability to show new arrivals and is just another way of having a conversation with the community on South Whidbey Island.

Play our Rack Bingo game, the more you shop, the more you save.  You can turn in your receipt for our special hourly drawing and you could win a gift certificate good for half the total on your sales receipt.

Good Cheer!

Just last week we had volunteers from Windermere at Good Cheer. This sets a tremendous example for the people in the community. It also affirms the efforts that are made daily by our volunteers at the Good Cheer Food Bank and its Thrift Stores.

Volunteering is a form of giving. It is sharing what we value with others without counting on the reciprocal expectation of recognition or gratitude.

“The value of man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.”

–Albert Einstein

True giving is done without expecting something in return. Most of the time we are giving someone something they need, and they usually don’t have the means to give anything back. Usually, the act of giving is to help and the only thing that could diminish that act, I believe, is to do it expecting something out of it.

Good Cheer is blessed to have many volunteers that know the true value of giving.  This past Father’s Day we had two Dads who couldn’t be with their children; so why not help out at the thrift store.

This is a photo of Mike and Sydney with Cary Peterson (Good Cheer Garden Coordinator) at the Summer Volunteer Party.

Mike Hoffman was recently assigned the new role of managing the Langley Thrift Store Hardware department.  Mike and his wife Sydney (a food bank volunteer) got together with Don and Anne Zontine and decided to spend some time organizing the hardware department. By day’s end they had spent 5 hours at the thrift store on Father’s Day giving back and doing what only comes naturally to them.

This is a photo of Don and Anne working at the Good Cheer garden this past week. Anne is a regular garden volunteer and Don is a truck driver volunteer for Good Cheer.

It was far from an easy task to organize the hardware area at the Langley Store; I know that Mike has been working on it for a while.

There has also been great progress at the Clinton Thrift Store where you will find a large selection of tools to help you around the home.

The Good Cheer Food Bank is a life line for families who get cut off from the work force.  Many who had traditionally supported organizations such as ours (prior to the collapse of the economy a few years ago) now find themselves as recipients of this service.

Corrine Bayley Food Bank Volunteer works the check in counter every Tuesday afternoon and is our professional volunteer photographer.

When many public assistance programs were eliminated during the 1980s local communities found themselves swamped to provide basic nourishment for the elderly, families subsisting on one worker income at minimum wage, the unemployed and their children.

Colby Snow volunteers at special events and is the driver of our soap box derby car and provided technical support at our talent show.

Volunteer efforts through churches, local clubs and private organizations came together in many communities to provide this vital assistance.

Lou Donaty is Damien Cotez’s back-up man in the Food Bank.

But for the self-sacrifice of individuals who themselves are not wealthy and the generous donations of many others, many children in this country would suffer developmental issues related to nutrition and diet; and elder citizens on a fixed income would have to choose between their food and their medications.

Jim Engstrom is a longtime volunteer worker at Good Cheer Two, in the Food Bank and also the Distribution Center.

The volunteers that we have highlighted are just a few of the people that are so essential to the Good Cheer Food Bank and Thrift Stores.

If you have any interest in giving through volunteer work here is a link to helping in the fashion that suits you best.

Good Cheer!

The Good Cheer Food Bank has been hit by a double whammy; a 48-percent drop in donations and a huge increase in the number of customers. I suppose I should mention that we have had some unanticipated expenses. A  $3000 repair bill for the food bank’s delivery truck would have bought a  lot of groceries.

The past couple of years, people have been aware of the recession and have wanted to help. Now it seems as though the recession is getting to be just a part of life, and every month we’re getting further behind. We have been adding new events like the Mother of all Talent Shows and we will continue to make adjustments to better serve the community.

This blog is a very useful tool for getting the word out to our wonderful supporters. Perhaps you can spread the word of need to your friends by emailing a link (how to create a link in an email) to this post or to the Good Cheer Blogspot.

We have had to cap the number of points large households receive, plus increase points for some food items. The point price for several items have increased, especially for certain processed foods such as Hamburger Helper. In addition, volunteers and staff are implementing ways to provide greater structure to our check-in program.

The Good Cheer garden provides some good news in the face of these price hikes. Because of the increasing bounty from Good Cheer’s garden, now in its second season, the prices on fresh fruits and vegetables are low; sometimes free. We’re trying not to raise the price on things that are good for our clients.

Part of Good Cheer’s fundraising strategy is to find ways for the thrift stores to generate more money. We will be putting collectible items, that haven’t sold in our stores, on Ebay. This is because, they are collectibles, and those who collect those types of items haven’t walked through our doors.  This will give us more exposure.

John Ball was recently hired to take on the job of  Distribution Center Associate; to help Good Cheer become more efficient in our pursuit of raising more money from the items that you are donating to us.

John has experience with E-Bay as he had an on-line book business for years. John will be responsible for  managing the new Good Cheer E-Bay account. This should increase our sales and gives us a good on-line presence.

John was recently honored by the South Whidbey Rotary Club for his more than 21 years of volunteer work at Good Cheer. Having previously owned the Mad Hatter’s Old Books store that operated in Langley, he knows the fair market value of many of the items, and if not, knows how to research how they should be priced.

He once received an 1862 Sharp Pepperbox revolver donated to Good Cheer. “I knew it was very valuable, but I wasn’t exactly sure about the dollar amount. So I researched and found a gun expert in California who sold it for us through an auction house for $900.” More recently, some U.S. Cavalry saddlebags popped up at Good Cheer and were valued at $135. John found a reference to them in a history book.

Before his bookstore, John played professional soccer, worked at the old Rainier Brewery in Seattle, fought forest fires, and tended bar at The Dog House in Langley.

We will be extending our Bayview facility donation hours Tuesdays through Fridays until 7 p.m. This should allow us to receive more donations for sale in our thrift stores as well as  making it more convenient for people to volunteer at Good Cheer after work.  To learn more about volunteering at Good Cheer click here.

It is our hope that the longer hours of operation at the Distribution Center will be a convenience for the people who donate items to Good Cheer. Many out-of-area charities are soliciting for furniture and clothing donations on South Whidbey. Good Cheer’s major funding source is from the sales proceeds from its Thrift Stores, and we rely upon our hometown area for item donations. Community donations help our community.

We are fortunate to have a marvelous team of volunteers performing vital functions – but what we need right now are monetary donations to keep our Food Bank shelves stocked.

If you can contribute, please use the remit envelope in Good Cheer’s last newsletter, contribute online by clicking here, or mail in a donation to Good Cheer, PO Box 144, Langley, WA 98260.

I wanted to share some thoughts from Rita Burns, your Good Cheer Operations Manager, who was recently quoted in an article from the South Whidbey Record.

“The economy may slowly be improving, but you wouldn’t know it by the number of people coming to the Food Bank.  Many people have finally exhausted their savings after losing jobs or experiencing a drop in business, and must now turn to Good Cheer for help in feeding their families. Some days our waiting room is quite full as only six shopping carts can fit inside the grocery area at a time.”

“What really touches my heart are the young children with their mothers. Did you know that last year Good Cheer provided supplemental food for 1,665 children on South Whidbey?”

“Thank God we live in a place where neighbors care about neighbors and believe that creating and sustaining a hunger-free community matters.”

Good Cheer!

Good Cheer understands that Easter is a time of celebration and fun!

In keeping with that spirit; we’ve decided to have a little fun at the Good Cheer Thrift Stores.

When you or a member of your family wear an Easter bonnet to the Good Cheer Thrift stores on Saturday, April 3rd, you will receive a 25% discount on everything in our thrift stores. Yes, that means everything; even items marked with an “X”!

This is something that you can have fun with. Just find a cap or a hat and decorate it! Kids love this kind of stuff and it can save you some money when you’re shopping our thrift stores.

Be prepared, the Good Cheer staff will take pictures of everyone who participates and we’ll place the pictures on our new Good Cheer blog. The person who receives the most votes for their hat will win a $100 Good Cheer gift certificate. You’ll want to encourage all your friends and family to vote for your hat!

All you have to do in order to vote is to go to this blog site and look for the “Easter Bonnet Photos Post.” The photo post should be up by Tuesday of next week. We will number each photo; all you have to do is identify the one that caught your eye.  Just click on responses at the top of the post; if there are no responses that means your are the first.  If you are having problems with that; you can just email me directly with your vote at kathy@goodcheer.org.

Don’t have an Easter bonnet or cap? Make your own! The more unusual and creative the better!

Even adults can have fun!

To most people Easter is a celebration of the Resurrection of Christ.

This year the 2010 Easter Date of April 4th applies to the western calendar (Catholic and Protestant Churches), and also to the The Eastern Orthodox church. This is an unusual event since the two branches of Christianity have different methods for calculating the correct date for Easter. There are only a few years each century when the Easter dates match like this so Easter 2010 is seen as extra special.

The ancient Saxons celebrated the return of spring with an uproarious festival commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime. Some called this a pagan festival. As it happened, the pagan festival of Eastre occurred at the same time of year as the Christian observance of the Resurrection of Christ. It made sense, therefore, to alter the festival itself, to make it a Christian celebration as converts were slowly won over. The early name, Eastre, was eventually changed to its modern spelling, Easter.

The Easter Egg

As with the Easter Bunny and the holiday itself, the Easter Egg predates the Christian holiday of Easter. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians.

From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures. Eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flowers.

Today, children hunt colored eggs and place them in Easter baskets along with the modern version of real Easter eggs — those made of plastic or chocolate candy.

Good Cheer!

The Good Cheer Food Bank and Thrift Stores are a good cause to support. Good Cheer turns old furniture, clothes, appliances and knick-knacks into food for hungry families and individuals on South Whidbey.

With spring just around the corner, the time is now to start thinking about storing winter clothing and preparing for the warmer weather. Motivated and with spring cleaning in mind, you’re now wondering what to do with the pinstripe pants suit you bought three years ago and never wore, the leather pumps collecting dust under the bed, and the paisley print scarf that just doesn’t really go with anything.

There may be some separation anxiety involved in the process but you can be assured that your donations will have a positive effect on the community where you live. The Thrift Stores have a number of items that they are really looking for. Sometimes visuals have a better impact than a list. You’ll find photos of the items that the Thrift Stores are in need of.

We want you to know that any donation that is made, regardless of type, is deeply appreciated.

Donations are the life and blood of this organization; without which our ability to impact lives in the community would be greatly diminished.

So, with that in mind…………..

Sporting Goods

Bookcases

Dressers

Power Tools

Hand and Yard Tools

Couches and Recliners

Mattresses and Bed Frames

Washing Machines and Dryers

Refrigerators

Small Kitchen Appliances

Corning Ware and Baking Dishes

Camping Gear

Yarn

Art Supplies

Boats? That would buy a lot of food!

Call 221-6454 ext. 5 for pick-up of large furniture and appliances. You can also drop off items at 2812 in Bayview, just north of Bayview Corner. The donation drop-off center is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Our volunteers will sort, prep and price them in our new Bayview facility and then move them to Good Cheer Thrift Stores in Langley and Clinton. Sales from the thrift stores support Good Cheer and help feed people in need in our community.

You can bring smaller donations and food items directly to the thrift stores if it is more convenient.

Remember to get your receipt for your tax-deductible donation.

To find out more about making donations to Good Cheer just click the above photo.

Good Cheer!